I am by trade a ‘Computer Geek’. I am the one that everyone calls to fix their computer and instead of a thank you, all I hear is, “I swear it wasn’t working before you got here.” One of the most common questions I get, and one I’m sure you have wondered yourself, “Which Antivirus Program should I use?”
With so many programs like Norton AntiVirus 2007, McAfee VirusScan Plus 2007, and others, it can become very confusing. Now for the bad news:

• Price: Most antivirus software must be purchased for a price between $20-$60.
• Updates: The programs is only automatically updated for 1 year, unless you purchase another upgrade. Also, the updates are about once a week, meaning that you might be susceptible for a week after a new virus comes out.
• Hard Drive Space: A great number of AntiVirus programs are what is called “Bloatware”, meaning that there are so many features that they take up a huge amount of hard drive space.
• Memory: All those bells and whistles become very resource intensive, meaning that your computer now becomes slower than a turtle.
• Computer Performance: Because the program is so big and takes up so much memory, opening files and programs will take along time.

So as you can see, having a traditional antivirus program does keep you safe, but the trade-off might not be worth it.
The program I have been using for years now, and one that I have now installed on hundreds of computers for family, friends, and clients, is AVG AntiVirus. Why use this program? Here are the benefits:

• Price: Free, not bad huh?
• Updates: Updates a free and happen daily, meaning that your protection is always up to date.
• Hard Drive Space: Although there are many features in this program, when installed, it takes up very little hard drive space compared to it’s competitors
• Memory: AVG barely takes up any memory at all. You won’t even notice it’s running
• Computer Performance: This program is set to run a complete computer scan daily. Because it takes up very little memory, you won’t even realize that it’s running.

I would highly recommend this program. I’ve been using it for years and have never had any problems with it. For more information and to download it, go to their website at http://free.grisoft.com

I am beginning a new feature called the “RohitRohila.com Challenge.” So it might not be the best name, but it’s to the point, right

I will be posting challenges to the readers to start implementing what you have been learning. I would love to read some comments about what you did to face the challenges. Here is the first one:

Do something really special for someone who cannot pay you back; consider doing it anonymously. Remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

So go out there, and start to change the world! Remember, post what you did!

What are the daily lessons that you are learning and how are you keeping track of them? Many personal development coaches have suggested the use of a journal for keeping track of yourself. Years ago I began a journal that would include the lessons that I learned. I called it ‘My OWN Daily Lessons’ because that way, I felt that I could take true ownership of the lessons. Here is a sample taken from a few days:

Monday, December 13, 1999- Enthusiasm
Today I learned that…
One of the key points to being a leader is enthusiasm. Everything you do must be with 110% enthusiasm. The best way to get others to follow you is to show them, not tell them, but show them how excited you are to do what you are doing.

Tuesday, December 14, 1999- Partnership
Today I learned that…
Being a leader means that you have a partnership with those that you serve that should be equal. Everyone down the line, from a President to the Committee Member should feel like they have an equal responsibility within the group and the groups’ move towards their goals.

Wednesday, December 15, 1999- Self-Attitude
Today I learned that…
Depending on how my attitude is, people will either follow me or they won’t. The more positive and energetic I am, the more people will increase their confidence in me and the more that can be accomplished.

Thursday, December 16, 1999- Self-Confidence
Today I learned that…
One of the greatest things that I can do to increase my leadership is to understand and play the difference and similarities involved with Power and Self-Confidence. One leads to the other and with effectively using both, others will see it also. Often self-evaluations should be done.

Friday, December 17, 1999- Thinking
Today I learned that…
You should build your behaviors based off of experiences. And to gain experiences, you need to increase how often you reflect about your small victories.

Tuesday, December 22, 1999- Big Picture
Today I learned that…
In order to be more creative, I need to take a look at the big picture, and see how everything works within the big picture. Creativity is a tool that far too few people use, and if I use it, it will help me be more of a leader in others’ eyes.

Monday, December 27, 1999- Charisma
Today I learned that…
In order to be a leader that many people will follow emotionally, you must be more emotional. Be a more charismatic person and try also to make behavioral observations of people when you first meet them, and then see how close you came.

As you can see, I don’t go too in depth because it is easier to review this way. Just being aware on a daily basis of what you are learning, will go along way into developing your skills!