4. Have fun -- enjoy doing whatever you are doing in your business. Of course, in order to be working for fun of working, you need to be doing something that is fun to do!

If this isn't true for you, maybe you need to start back at #1 on this list. When you're dedicated to building a business in something that you love to do, even long hours and occasional setbacks will be like 'water off a duck's back' if you're having fun!

5. Keep a positive attitude, even in face of difficulties. The road to success is littered with obstacles and errors, and it is very likely that you will make some mistakes or run into unforeseen troubles. How well you 'keep your head up' is bound to determine how clearly you'll SEE ahead of you! And one more thing about attitude -- don't start tomorrow, or next week, or next month. If you're feeling depressed about your business, or discouraged, what can you do to change your attitude RIGHT NOW?

Bill Shands is using these very principles to build his home-based business beyond the five-figure-monthly income level he originally planned for. Find out more about how he does it at http://www.mystreamline.com/home.asp?ref=4677615B2

Once you experience this situation first time, your boss will probably, privately, pat you on back and give some type of excuse as to why he handed your idea off to another person. You will then be given a different project to block your time so that he will look as though he had "bigger plans for you." At this point, you have five choices:

- quit, - become a quiet worker-bee, - report it to his manager, - realize that you are now in a good brown-nosing position, or - you can reverse game.

* Quitting

When you first encounter such a game, it can be quite frustrating. No matter how much you despise what has happened, don't quit! This is a common game and it is not a personal attack. This is merely a situation that you allowed to become out of your control. Learn how this game works as you will encounter it again in later job opportunities.

* The Quiet Type

As for becoming a quiet worker in your position, it's too late. Your boss knows that you have good ideas in your head and he will want more. If you button-up and never devise ideas again, your chances of a raise will diminish as will your longevity in that company. You will probably be hustled into worst possible projects simply because you won't play anymore.

* Report to His Boss

This approach is never good under these circumstances. Again, issue is not a personal attack. It is merely a chance your boss saw to gain a few points with his boss. Let it ride and don't go above his head for this situation as you will only cause problems for yourself. Besides, learn from it and figure out how you can gain a few points with your boss in this situation.

* Brown-Nosing

As for brown-nosing position, you are now in a good position to make your way into boss' good graces. Feed him some more good ideas, make him look good, go for gusto. You now have a chance to ride wave in right behind your boss. However, do you know which wave your boss is actually riding?

One thing you have to realize is that your boss will not be in that position forever. He could get promoted or laid off and even quit, leaving you to fend for yourself. If you decide to become a brown-noser, you will end up looking like an idea-less fool. Remember, you quietly gave all of your ideas to him in exchange for grace.

* Reversing Game

I've always seen reversing game as a way of gaining a little bit of control over this type of situation. You must always be professional, but professional retaliation can be more ruthless than all out physical battle. You need to plan any type of retaliation so that it does not come over as being personal and so that you come out ahead.

The best reversal for this game is to come up with your next idea, plan it out, and generate a solid, detailed, hardcopy report. Once it is complete, place hardcopy of plan in your desk drawer. Now, prepare a secondary "verbal" presentation of your plan, but leave out a few non-trivial, yet not-so-obvious, pieces of puzzle. Present this verbal-only plan to your boss.

When your boss holds his meeting and hands your idea off to one of your peers, have an impromptu meeting with that peer. Tell her how lucky she is to work on project and give her your original hardcopy. Tell her that you were already considering a "very general rough" of idea and would be happy to consult if she needs any assistance.

--- What's next? ---

A key to this game is privacy. If your boss initially tells you that he wants to discuss your idea in private, then you should get idea that you're in trouble.

I have no idea why six months is usually time that passes before assault occurs, but that's standard turn around time for resurrection of ideas. It appears that it has something to do with hope that everyone involved will forget about original idea and move on to other projects.

Also, an important side to this game, and others, is that of "quiet time" that ensues when you've finished speaking. This quiet time is created to force you to continue your chattering to divulge other information that you would probably have never told your boss in first place. In this situation, your best bet is to sit quietly as well.

Reversing game is a professional way of maintaining your dignity, keeping your place in company as an intelligent individual, and allowing your boss to build up some of his own personal glory. One important thing to realize is that you want to oscillate between brown-nosing and reversal. If you reverse too often, your boss will learn pattern and he won't trust you. You have to wait for at least two assaults before you reverse first time so that he does learn to trust you. Then, brown-nose for a time or two before you reverse game again.

The point is not to reverse too often so as not to ruin your relationship with your boss. But, you don't want to be seen as an idea-less fool that kisses up to boss to keep your job.