success posts

There are plenty of self help books boasting the rewards of thinking on the plus side of things rather than the minus side, envisioning yourself and your situation the way you want it to be and -- in doing so -- becoming a better person. But no one seems to talk about the power of the negative. By thinking negatively, I don't mean acting out negatively -- shutting people down or being rude -- but thinking cautiously, perhaps even imagining the worst case scenario. Let's look at how negative thinking every once in a while might just help your financial situation.

1. If you prepare for the worst you'll suffer less.
In a recent study by New York University and Carnegie Mellon University, students were subjected to annoying sounds like the drone of a vacuum cleaner. According to researchers, the students who expected to hear an irritating noise again and again were more inclined to be extremely irritated by the noise than those who thought they would only hear it once. Researchers concluded that people can remember hardships as being worse than they actually were as a coping mechanism to "brace" for that hardship to happen again. By bracing for the worst, researchers say, we actually suffer less. If we apply this strategy to finances, it is possible in many areas of our lives to brace ourselves and prepare for the worst. While we don't want to become overly anxious, saving money and planning ahead for emergency situations can help endure an ordeal such as a broken down furnace or a reassessment from Revenue Canada.

It's no surprise that Dragon's Den has become a cultural buzzword and an influence in the Canadian world of business.

In the past three years since the debut of the series, the number of patent applications in Canada have hit 40,000 per year, making it a "motivator" for those budding entrepreneurs according to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.

The only female Dragon, Arlene Dickinson, has been battling the boys, and she's been privy to the Dragon's effect on the business community in Canada.

Dickinson has now decided to expand her empire - and encourage all those wannabe entrepreneurs to go for it with the creation of YouInc.com.

Millions of us are happily watching the London 2012 Olympic Games, excited to cheer on Team Canada, and see some of the best athletes in the world.

For these amazing amateurs, there has been years of blood, sweat and tears to get to this prestigious competition.

But what happens when you stop being an athlete? Do you fade away into the past or can it help you become a successful entrepreneur?

For these Canadians, their time as an Olympian put them on a path for continued success as adults.

Click through the photos to see those who've gone the distance to stay in the spotlight and stay connected to the sports world that made them who they are.

SLIDESHOW: CANADIAN OLYMPIANS STILL CONTRIBUTING

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Once upon a time all a small business needed to do in order to be found was to list their number in the YellowPages. Unfortunately, times have changed and a simple listing may not be enough to get the attention your business needs. These days it's all about websites and if your business does not have one, you could be missing out on customers.

Listing your business in the phone directory is still a smart idea. I can't remember the last time I flicked through a hard copy of a phone book (in fact, I think mine is still wrapped in plastic), but I, like most consumers, regularly use online searches such as Yellowpages.ca to track down businesses. The difference in this online age is that people are less likely to pick up the phone to ask you questions. If there's an option to find the sought-after information without punching numbers into a phone and possibly being placed on hold, the consumer will likely take that option. I know I do, and the Y Generation most certainly does. With 80% of Canadians regularly using the internet, a website - even the most basic one - has become essential for small business success.

About 30% of small businesses in Canada fail within five years of starting up, an Industry Canada report shows. It's a scary number, but one that's understandable - there's so many things that can go wrong. The main reason most small businesses fail according to the report is because of mismanagement. About half the failures can be attributed to bad management decisions, not a slow market.

The good news is that 70% of start-ups make it through that first five years. One thing that many of these successful businesses have in common is that they have learned from their mistakes. I came across a couple of successful small businesses in the Financial Post that have shared their mistakes so that others out there can learn from them.

Some mistakes are ones that are widely spoken of, such as trying to do it all yourself, losing touch with your target market and marketing to too broad an audience. But some of the mistakes are worth mentioning here, like that made by Erin L. Schiffman, 31, the chief executive of graphic design company Schiffman Creative in New York City.

For some people, becoming an entrepreneur sounds idyllic. Entrepreneurs are in charge of their lives: they work when they want to work, they make lots of money, they answer to no one. It sure sounds good on paper. In reality, entrepreneurs aren't as "in charge" as you might think. I'm convinced that there are three main reasons people become entrepreneurs and, interestingly, each reveals a much less perfect reality.

I'll Be My Own Boss
Let's face it, if you thrive on the traditional hierarchical work structure, you've probably never considered becoming an entrepreneur. Most people become entrepreneurs because they want to be their own boss. But that's not exactly how it works. The minute you start your own business, you answer to every client you have or ever hope to have -- even the crazy ones. It's not all bad, though. In a traditional job you can't choose not to work for your boss, at least not without quitting. As an entrepreneur you can choose not to work with truly awful clients if you absolutely have to. But this is hardly something you'll want to do often -- if you're too picky about your clients, you're not going to stay in business for long.

I am in the midst of a Craigslist adrenalin rush, running as fast as I can chased by hungry Craigslist bargain hunters. Just as I think I've time to sit and take a rest, the chase resumes. It's exhausting, but as each unwanted item disappears from my apartment, my wallet grows a little fatter, and that feels good.

Until now, I'd never sold anything on Craigslist, although I'd spoken to many people who had tried, and mostly failed. I think it's these experiences that left me totally unprepared for the whirlwind I've just entered. My Craigslist listing has been overly popular. Since I listed the entire contents of my apartment for sale on Sunday night (I'm moving and it's all got to go!) my phone and my email have been buzzing nonstop. I've had people in bidding wars over my Ikea bookshelf and urgent emails from my boyfriend begging me not to let the man who wants the TV take it just yet - after all, the NBA finals and Premier League Soccer are on.

So what did I do?