Our Four-Year-Old is So Enthusiastic about just about everything that when you are around him you cannot help but be Positively Influenced; his Great Enthusiasm is Highly Contagious.
Which is a good thing. A very good thing. It is contagious.
According to www.opposite-word.com, opposite words of "enthusiastic" are:
"apathetic, disinterested, doubting, indifferent, lethargic, pessimistic, unenthusiastic, unexcited,weary"
Collectively......a very depressing portrait of an individual!
These terms all describe people that are, sadly, living their lives with a lack of energy, zest, excitement, and natural motivation.
Enthusiasm is one of the Finer Things in Life! Having it, as a natural trait, is no-doubt a tremendous asset to have to help one navigate through the many challenges and great difficulties we all face from time to time which we all must face. How we handle and overcome these times will largely define how successful we are in life and whether or not we can achieve the personal goals and objectives we have set for ourselves.
Enthusiasm. When you see it: Appreciate it; Catch it; Grab it; Hold on tight. It will help you get through the most difficult times. Having it will be a great benefit. Then pass it along to others. "Pay It Forward." Be a positive influence in the lives of others by being, consistently, Enthusiastic. Upbeat. Positive.
I don't want our Four-Year-Old to ever loose his Enthusiasm.
I hope you too are blessed by the presence of an Enthusiastic Child in your Life. If not, by someone else. Someone, who, whenever you are around them, exudes the great quality of being Enthusiastic. Every time you are around them, you leave them feeling a little bit better. Feeling more confident. Feeling like life is good. Feeling that you can achieve the worthy Goals you have set for yourself.
I, personally, don't want to be around, too much anyway, people who are not Enthusiastic. Just a personal choice. We should associate only with those who will, by their mere presence, help support, motivate, and elevate us.
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Courage is going from failure to failure without loosing enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Future Uncertain
We, really, have no guarantee that we will be here tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next.
Our Future is Uncertain. We will run out of time. Eventually. The question and unknown variable is when.
The Reality of Life is that our Time Here is Limited and Finite.
We are So Lucky to even be here today! Many, who we have known and loved, are already gone; with no more tomorrows. How many more tomorrows do we have? What would we do differently if you had a Date Certain when you will be parting ways with life as we know it? What if we had, beginning right now at this very moment and point in time, only 24 Hours To Live? One Week? One Year?
We sometimes live and act as though we do not fully grasp this reality and the ramifications. Are we living with a Sense of Urgency and are we Passionately Pursuing all of the Personal Goals that we have set for ourselves ever single day that we are fortunate enough to be alive? Are we packing in the excitement, the challenge, the personal achievements, and great accomplishments which we consistently achieve every single day?
Or, are we living Passively? Reactively? Like we are just passengers who have no control over in which direction we are heading. Have we lost our focus? Our drive? Do we no longer have a core set of top priorities, goals, and objectives, that drive us and towards which we should be focusing all of our energy and time on every day? Have we lost our Passion?
Is there a personal dream you once had that you have since forgotten or just given up on as the years passed? Lost all hope and desire as a result of the everyday grind of life and the many obstacles that we periodically face which slow us down and leave us deflated? Have we decided to take the easier path with less challenge, less resistance, and requiring less commitment?
What are your Personal Priorities? What are the most important things to you? A very wise person once wrote to me that "We Devote Our Time, Energy, and Money Into What We Value The Most." Think about that just for a moment. What have you been focusing on these days? Are your actions in line with and fully supportive of all of your stated Priorities and your Personal Goals? Or, have you over time fallen prey to the superficial aspects and negative temptations of life and moved away from spending time where you should be?
If You, If We, are not absolutely Fired Up and Highly Motivated, we most certainly should be! Life is Short. Our Days Are Finite. We are certainly not getting any younger. When we look back at our lives at an older age our goal should be to be able to say "No Regrets" as opposed to "how much better would things have been if I did this or didn't do that."
What If (not out of the realm of possibility!)you received notification right now: your Future is No Longer Uncertain. You Have One Month To Live. Think about it. Slowly. Think hard about what your thought process would then be...... What would you do? How would you feel? Who would you call?
On what, if you received the "Deadline" Notification stated above, and with your assumed newfound focus and clarity, would you begin spending your precious time?? What would you do differently tomorrow? What would your five most important Personal Goals be to achieve during your remaining time? What components of your life would you know label as "no longer a priority" considering your new knowledge of how much time you have remaining?
My Message: We Should Focus Only On What is Important And A Priority To Us; We Should Shed The Rest. And Get Moving.......Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time.......and We Have Only So Much (?)Time.
Our Future is Uncertain. We will run out of time. Eventually. The question and unknown variable is when.
The Reality of Life is that our Time Here is Limited and Finite.
We are So Lucky to even be here today! Many, who we have known and loved, are already gone; with no more tomorrows. How many more tomorrows do we have? What would we do differently if you had a Date Certain when you will be parting ways with life as we know it? What if we had, beginning right now at this very moment and point in time, only 24 Hours To Live? One Week? One Year?
We sometimes live and act as though we do not fully grasp this reality and the ramifications. Are we living with a Sense of Urgency and are we Passionately Pursuing all of the Personal Goals that we have set for ourselves ever single day that we are fortunate enough to be alive? Are we packing in the excitement, the challenge, the personal achievements, and great accomplishments which we consistently achieve every single day?
Or, are we living Passively? Reactively? Like we are just passengers who have no control over in which direction we are heading. Have we lost our focus? Our drive? Do we no longer have a core set of top priorities, goals, and objectives, that drive us and towards which we should be focusing all of our energy and time on every day? Have we lost our Passion?
Is there a personal dream you once had that you have since forgotten or just given up on as the years passed? Lost all hope and desire as a result of the everyday grind of life and the many obstacles that we periodically face which slow us down and leave us deflated? Have we decided to take the easier path with less challenge, less resistance, and requiring less commitment?
What are your Personal Priorities? What are the most important things to you? A very wise person once wrote to me that "We Devote Our Time, Energy, and Money Into What We Value The Most." Think about that just for a moment. What have you been focusing on these days? Are your actions in line with and fully supportive of all of your stated Priorities and your Personal Goals? Or, have you over time fallen prey to the superficial aspects and negative temptations of life and moved away from spending time where you should be?
If You, If We, are not absolutely Fired Up and Highly Motivated, we most certainly should be! Life is Short. Our Days Are Finite. We are certainly not getting any younger. When we look back at our lives at an older age our goal should be to be able to say "No Regrets" as opposed to "how much better would things have been if I did this or didn't do that."
What If (not out of the realm of possibility!)you received notification right now: your Future is No Longer Uncertain. You Have One Month To Live. Think about it. Slowly. Think hard about what your thought process would then be...... What would you do? How would you feel? Who would you call?
On what, if you received the "Deadline" Notification stated above, and with your assumed newfound focus and clarity, would you begin spending your precious time?? What would you do differently tomorrow? What would your five most important Personal Goals be to achieve during your remaining time? What components of your life would you know label as "no longer a priority" considering your new knowledge of how much time you have remaining?
My Message: We Should Focus Only On What is Important And A Priority To Us; We Should Shed The Rest. And Get Moving.......Procrastination Is The Thief Of Time.......and We Have Only So Much (?)Time.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Social Media Magic!
Two years ago I basically had no knowledge of "Social Media."
One year ago my knowledge was limited to my personal Facebook Account experience alone.
Today, I find myself immersed in Social Media on a daily basis. Actually, I can share without reservation, that I have quickly grown to love all things Social Media. Early in 2011 I began planning and taking some important steps to help me begin my exciting journey towards starting my own Business: Selling By Building.
Early on in that process, a trusted confidant and supporter (who also is a highly experienced and successful Small Business Owner) enthusiastically conveyed to me the importance of quickly educating myself with and harnessing the Power and Magic of Social Media to assist me with making connections and spreading the message of my business, my philosophy, and what I am all about as I assume the challenge of becoming a Small Business Owner.
Social Media actually is a natural fit with the overriding philosophy behind Selling By Building: the belief that the most important ingredient to achieving long-term personal and business success is one's ability to successfully build strong, trusting, long-term relationships with everyone who we interact with on a daily basis. This includes Business Owners, Employees, Management, Customers/Clients, Vendors, etc. Communication is the Key. Strong Relationships are the Building Blocks.
A highly efficient means of achieving the critical goal of making connections, spreading one's message, and building strong, long-term, trusting relationships is Social Media.
I am utilizing Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, etc., to help me achieve the following important and long-term benefits:
I am excited to be involved and a firm believer of attending this Conference because of the knowledge and appreciation I have gained recently during my transition to being an Entrepreneur and Small Business Owner.
This Conference will allow me to continue educating myself and to share what I have learned with others.
I have heeded the advice that was given to me early in 2011 and now I am fully engaged in (with a great deal more to learn of course) Social Media.
In retrospect: I was given great advice that I would now share with anyone reaching out to me for guidance.
My Selling By Building Journey is just beginning. I am loving it; and Social Media is a Tool that I will continue to educate myself about and utilize to help me with my Mission: positively impacting the lives of others and long-term success with being able to do what I love to do and am passionate about.
Social Media Magic. Bringing People Together. Utilizing Technology And The Web. Full Speed Ahead To Greater Success For All.
One year ago my knowledge was limited to my personal Facebook Account experience alone.
Today, I find myself immersed in Social Media on a daily basis. Actually, I can share without reservation, that I have quickly grown to love all things Social Media. Early in 2011 I began planning and taking some important steps to help me begin my exciting journey towards starting my own Business: Selling By Building.
Early on in that process, a trusted confidant and supporter (who also is a highly experienced and successful Small Business Owner) enthusiastically conveyed to me the importance of quickly educating myself with and harnessing the Power and Magic of Social Media to assist me with making connections and spreading the message of my business, my philosophy, and what I am all about as I assume the challenge of becoming a Small Business Owner.
Social Media actually is a natural fit with the overriding philosophy behind Selling By Building: the belief that the most important ingredient to achieving long-term personal and business success is one's ability to successfully build strong, trusting, long-term relationships with everyone who we interact with on a daily basis. This includes Business Owners, Employees, Management, Customers/Clients, Vendors, etc. Communication is the Key. Strong Relationships are the Building Blocks.
A highly efficient means of achieving the critical goal of making connections, spreading one's message, and building strong, long-term, trusting relationships is Social Media.
I am utilizing Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, etc., to help me achieve the following important and long-term benefits:
- Establish new connections and begin establishing mutually beneficial relationships with similar-minded people who share similar interests, philosophies, and goals for the future. I especially appreciate the fact that I can easily connect with, share with, and learn from great people all over the world in many countries. Being Married with two little ones under six, my ability to travel to far-away places and many countries is limited. But, being a people person, I want to connect with as many people as I can. The Technology and Wonder of Twitter grants me the wonderful and unparalleled opportunity to link up with and then share ideas, thoughts, and motivation with great people all over the world. I consider this fact priceless!
- The ability and blessing to be able to share my diverse life experience and all of the great information, content, resources, quotes, etc., that I come across on a daily basis with my Connections. I greatly enjoy this fact. Helping other people and helping other people improve, get motivated, and achieve their goals is what I love doing the most. Social Media has allowed me to do this easily on a daily basis. Again.....priceless.
- Lastly: Since I have become heavily engaged in Social Media I have gained immediate access to the thoughts of others and to the Web Content being shared by and recommended by others every single day. This has allowed me to broaden my horizons and become renewed, invigorated, fired-up again, and rejuvenated at the age of 41. I learn from great content and links shared daily on Social Media. I cannot emphasize this benefit of utilizing Social Media enough. I am no longer limited to just the Great People of Syracuse, NY, that I happen to come in contact with and communicate with. I am learning from, being educated by, and drawing inspiration from friends and connections in India, Ireland, England, Africa, etc.; in addition to those spread across the United States. Twitter, Technology, and Social Media have brought people together. Social Media, Technology, and the Web have increased, without bounds, the free-flow of information, ideas, and education across the Globe and between all people access to the Internet. One last time.....priceless.
I am excited to be involved and a firm believer of attending this Conference because of the knowledge and appreciation I have gained recently during my transition to being an Entrepreneur and Small Business Owner.
This Conference will allow me to continue educating myself and to share what I have learned with others.
I have heeded the advice that was given to me early in 2011 and now I am fully engaged in (with a great deal more to learn of course) Social Media.
In retrospect: I was given great advice that I would now share with anyone reaching out to me for guidance.
My Selling By Building Journey is just beginning. I am loving it; and Social Media is a Tool that I will continue to educate myself about and utilize to help me with my Mission: positively impacting the lives of others and long-term success with being able to do what I love to do and am passionate about.
Social Media Magic. Bringing People Together. Utilizing Technology And The Web. Full Speed Ahead To Greater Success For All.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Life: Health & Wealth
As I pondered the various possibilities for the Subject of this Blog Posting I planned on writing today I received a timely phone call from my Sister. After my meaningful conversation with her the Subject and Theme that I wanted to write about today became very clear: "Health & Wealth."
Wealth is perceived and defined in a multitude of ways. The definition is often dependent on each individuals uniqueness and own personal life experience, background, values, character, goals, and priorities.
Wikipedia defines "Wealth" as follows:
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem.[1] An individual, community, region or country that possesses an abundance of such possessions or resources is known as wealthy.
The concept of wealth is of significance in all areas of economics, especially development economics, yet the meaning of wealth is context-dependent and there is no universally agreed upon definition. Generally, economists define wealth as "anything of value" which captures both the subjective nature of the idea and the idea that it is not a fixed or static concept. Various definitions and concepts of wealth have been asserted by various individuals and in different contexts.[2] Defining wealth can be a normative process with various ethical implications, since often wealth maximization is seen as a goal or is thought to be a normative principle of its own.[3]
Wikipedia defines "Health" as follows:
Health is the level of functional and (or) metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person in mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to being free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”).[1] The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."[2][3] Although this definition has been subject to controversy, in particular as having a lack of operational value and the problem created by use of the word "complete", it remains the most enduring.
Many people spend their entire lives obsessed with and pursuing greater Wealth. But at what point do we become Wealthy? I am all for striving to make a good living beyond the basic necessities of daily living and working hard to be able to enjoy the betters things in life.
But I wonder if sometimes people are not much more "Wealthy" than they appreciate and realize. Life is not just about the accumulation of money, houses, and boats, etc. These things are nice, very nice in fact, but, if you were sitting in a Hospital Room with a serious life-threatening disease you would suddenly have gained much greater perspective. Money, a new house, a new boat, etc., would suddenly have moved down the "Ladder of Priorities" in your Life. You would be thinking the following simple and clear thought: you would be praying that a miracle would be granted; and that you could go back in time to a point where you were in general, relative, Good Health.
Consider this question:
Today my Sister informed me during our telephone conversation that a Cousin of ours has just been just diagnosed with Melanoma; my Sister asked that we say a Prayer for her and keep her in our thoughts. My Sister is a Nurse. We do not know all of the details at this time other than the fact it sounds quite serious. My Sister conveys that this is a serious disease that gives cause for concern and worry.
My immediate thought upon hanging up: Life is So Short. We Take Our Health For Granted. Thank God For My Relative Good Health! Kind of a selfish thought.
We will as requested Pray for our Cousin and keep her in our thoughts.
Shortly after the conclusion of the conversation with my Sister I began thinking about and pondering the reality of our daily existence:
The Prospect and Potential of this phone call for all of us always exists and will never go away.
I ask you and I the following logical questions to ponder in light of the undeniable fact that our continued healthy existence is by no means a guarantee and that life is so short:
Why do we take so much for granted?
Why do we not fully appreciate our relative good health to a much greater extent than we do?
Why do we not sacrifice more of our Time, Energy, and Money to help others - and there are many! - who have already been stricken ill and and really, really suffering and struggling on a daily basis due to poor health?
Why do we all, myself included, so often choose to make the wrong things priorities and focus on or complain about trivial, inconsequential, and in retrospect meaningless, matters on a daily basis?
Why do we sometimes go about our lives in a robotic manner?
Why do we not spend more quality time with our Family and loved ones?
Why do we not exercise more and follow healthier diets that are proven will increase our level of health and reduce the likelihood of suffering poor health and being stricken by disease?
I have known friends who have died young. I have a friend with two very young children who is courageously battling ALS Disease (and embracing the opportunity to inspire others!) Today I just learned I have a Cousin who is battling Melanoma.
If you've been blessed with relative good health and have not thought about and truly appreciated this fact in a long time, I remind you not to take such things for granted.
If you are amongst the many battling a serious health issue: my thoughts and prayers are with you to give you strength and courage to battle on and to fight.
Consider again this question:
Considering the Wikipedia definition noted above would we consider Good Health to be a "Valuable Resource?" You bet. Without sufficient energy levels and a general feeling of good health it would be difficult for us to be able to live the life we desire and achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
Good Health is truly and undoubtedly a Blessing that not everyone is fortunate enough to have. Let's not take relative Good Health for granted and be truly grateful every single day; at the same time let us not turn a blind and selfish eye to those who are suffering and in need.
It could be any one of us any day. Carry that thought with you. Every Day.
I Wish You Good Health And The Perspective And Ability To Appreciate It When You Have It!
Wealth is perceived and defined in a multitude of ways. The definition is often dependent on each individuals uniqueness and own personal life experience, background, values, character, goals, and priorities.
Wikipedia defines "Wealth" as follows:
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem.[1] An individual, community, region or country that possesses an abundance of such possessions or resources is known as wealthy.
The concept of wealth is of significance in all areas of economics, especially development economics, yet the meaning of wealth is context-dependent and there is no universally agreed upon definition. Generally, economists define wealth as "anything of value" which captures both the subjective nature of the idea and the idea that it is not a fixed or static concept. Various definitions and concepts of wealth have been asserted by various individuals and in different contexts.[2] Defining wealth can be a normative process with various ethical implications, since often wealth maximization is seen as a goal or is thought to be a normative principle of its own.[3]
Wikipedia defines "Health" as follows:
Health is the level of functional and (or) metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person in mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to being free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”).[1] The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."[2][3] Although this definition has been subject to controversy, in particular as having a lack of operational value and the problem created by use of the word "complete", it remains the most enduring.
Many people spend their entire lives obsessed with and pursuing greater Wealth. But at what point do we become Wealthy? I am all for striving to make a good living beyond the basic necessities of daily living and working hard to be able to enjoy the betters things in life.
But I wonder if sometimes people are not much more "Wealthy" than they appreciate and realize. Life is not just about the accumulation of money, houses, and boats, etc. These things are nice, very nice in fact, but, if you were sitting in a Hospital Room with a serious life-threatening disease you would suddenly have gained much greater perspective. Money, a new house, a new boat, etc., would suddenly have moved down the "Ladder of Priorities" in your Life. You would be thinking the following simple and clear thought: you would be praying that a miracle would be granted; and that you could go back in time to a point where you were in general, relative, Good Health.
Consider this question:
- Are you Wealthy if you are Healthy?
Today my Sister informed me during our telephone conversation that a Cousin of ours has just been just diagnosed with Melanoma; my Sister asked that we say a Prayer for her and keep her in our thoughts. My Sister is a Nurse. We do not know all of the details at this time other than the fact it sounds quite serious. My Sister conveys that this is a serious disease that gives cause for concern and worry.
My immediate thought upon hanging up: Life is So Short. We Take Our Health For Granted. Thank God For My Relative Good Health! Kind of a selfish thought.
We will as requested Pray for our Cousin and keep her in our thoughts.
Shortly after the conclusion of the conversation with my Sister I began thinking about and pondering the reality of our daily existence:
- Any one of us could, possibly, and at any time, receive a phone call informing us that one of our Family Members or close Friends has suffered great tragedy or been stricken ill. Or even died.
- Any one of us could, possibly, and at any time, suffer great tragedy or become suddenly ill. Seriously ill. Or even die.
The Prospect and Potential of this phone call for all of us always exists and will never go away.
I ask you and I the following logical questions to ponder in light of the undeniable fact that our continued healthy existence is by no means a guarantee and that life is so short:
Why do we take so much for granted?
Why do we not fully appreciate our relative good health to a much greater extent than we do?
Why do we not sacrifice more of our Time, Energy, and Money to help others - and there are many! - who have already been stricken ill and and really, really suffering and struggling on a daily basis due to poor health?
Why do we all, myself included, so often choose to make the wrong things priorities and focus on or complain about trivial, inconsequential, and in retrospect meaningless, matters on a daily basis?
Why do we sometimes go about our lives in a robotic manner?
Why do we not spend more quality time with our Family and loved ones?
Why do we not exercise more and follow healthier diets that are proven will increase our level of health and reduce the likelihood of suffering poor health and being stricken by disease?
I have known friends who have died young. I have a friend with two very young children who is courageously battling ALS Disease (and embracing the opportunity to inspire others!) Today I just learned I have a Cousin who is battling Melanoma.
If you've been blessed with relative good health and have not thought about and truly appreciated this fact in a long time, I remind you not to take such things for granted.
If you are amongst the many battling a serious health issue: my thoughts and prayers are with you to give you strength and courage to battle on and to fight.
Consider again this question:
- Are you Wealthy if you are Healthy?
Considering the Wikipedia definition noted above would we consider Good Health to be a "Valuable Resource?" You bet. Without sufficient energy levels and a general feeling of good health it would be difficult for us to be able to live the life we desire and achieve the goals we set for ourselves.
Good Health is truly and undoubtedly a Blessing that not everyone is fortunate enough to have. Let's not take relative Good Health for granted and be truly grateful every single day; at the same time let us not turn a blind and selfish eye to those who are suffering and in need.
It could be any one of us any day. Carry that thought with you. Every Day.
I Wish You Good Health And The Perspective And Ability To Appreciate It When You Have It!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
10 Tips To Help Achieve Your Worthy Goal
Achieving a Worthy Goal is not easy. We need to consistently set and achieve specific goals if we want to achieve great success and be the very best we can be. Following are some Tips and Suggestions to help us Successfully Achieve our Goals:
Good Luck! Go grab a pen a paper and get a jump-start on your next Goal? What will it be?
- Write your Goal down on paper. Be specific. Set and write down a Target Date. Included with this should be the personal reasons why you are setting this Goal, the challenges and obstacles you have identified that you will need to overcome if you are to achieve your Goal, and, in precise detail, all of the Benefits and Advantages to be had when you successfully achieve the Goal.
- Do not loose #1. Refer to it often for a refresher and reminder as to why you are expending the great energy that you are (or should be!) on a daily basis to move you toward the successful achievement of the Goal.
- Adopt and Maintain a Positive Mental Attitude. This takes work. Self-doubt, negative thoughts, pessimism; these trouble-makers will undoubtedly hurt you and your Goal-Achieving efforts.
- Expect the unexpected and expect to overcome the unexpected without ever being thrown off course. Life is unpredictable. Sometimes things happen at the worst possible times. One curve-ball or one set-back will not the not-truly-committed off-course.
- Be Steadfast. I've always loved that word! Maintain a clear focus and keep your eye on the Goal and the Benefits to be had that you memorialized in Step 1 and keep mentally strong; nothing can keep you from achieving your Goal unless you let it happen. Again: Be Steadfast.
- Earn and benefit from the support of those around you. If sacrifice is required that impacts the lives of your Family or your Closest Friends, then you need to educate them and enlist their support. You will need their support and their motivation when life gets tough, you feel overwhelmed, and achievement of your Goal lay in jeopardy. Help Family and Friends understand the sacrifices you are making and the commitment you are making by openly sharing with them why you're doing what you're doing and what you are going to gain by achieving your Goal. Nothing is more important than our Family and our Friends. We need them and their support.
- Keep Healthy. We need Great Energy to be able to pursue our Goals Relentlessly. Great Energy is a direct result of Living a Healthy Lifestyle: eat well; exercise daily; minimize stress; embrace healthy habits. The more difficult and challenging a Goal is the more Energy we need. Continuously educate yourself on how to be as healthy as possible and live according to that knowledge.
- Make the Process Fun. Life is Short. Enjoy and Respect the difficult journey often necessary to achieve a Worthy Goal.
- Let each successive successful step that brings you closer to achieving your Goal inspire you and provide you with some positive motivation to help continue to carry you forward, remain committed, stay focused, and ultimately Reach That Goal!
- Don't give up. Never give up. Nothing truly great has never been achieve without great sacrifice, commitment, dedication, and resilience.
Good Luck! Go grab a pen a paper and get a jump-start on your next Goal? What will it be?
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Entrepreneur? You?
Are you cut out to be an Entrepreneur?
Am I cut out to be an Entrepreneur?
How do the successful ones succeed while so many....the majority....fail for no lack of effort?
Might you be the next Bill Gates?
Could you succeed and might you be much happier and more fulfilled if you carefully and cautiously started your own Small Business which would enable you to finally focus on simply doing what you love to do and are truly passionate about?
What really is an Entrepreneur? Why are they collectively considered such a unique and special group of human beings?
Wikipedia defines this so-often used and often-misunderstood term as follows:
An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and is accountable for the inherent risks and the outcome.[note 1] The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to help launch a new venture or enterprise and accept full responsibility for the outcome. Jean-Baptiste Say, a French economist, is believed to have coined the word "entrepreneur" in the 19th century - he defined an entrepreneur as "one who undertakes an enterprise, especially a contractor, acting as intermediatory between capital and labour".[note 2] A broader definition by Say: "The entrepreneur shifts economic resources out of lower and into higher productivity and greater yield."[clarification needed]
Regardless of how anyone specifically defines an Entrepreneur one thing is for sure: it takes a highly special and creative individual with great drive, perseverance, and passion, to be able to, in the face of all the nay-sayers, many doubters, and willing negative anti-risk advisers, push forward with a dream, a vision, and a plan, and to successfully start their own business.
Whether I will ultimately fail or succeed with my dream and vision (Selling By Building) remains to seen: only time will tell if I will be successful in making the transition to doing what I love to do and am passionate about and be able to make a living. But I am confident. I believe. I am committed.
But, regardless of trying to predict the future, I am absolutely loving and enjoying the entire entrepreneurial process and all of the accompanying challenges inherent with starting a new business.
As a result of my current efforts in starting my own Small Consulting Business I have gained a much greater understanding of and appreciation for Entrepreneurs. Their chosen path is not easy! Those without sufficient perseverance, passion, and dedication may give up in the face of the varying challenges that all Entrepreneurs face on a daily basis.
But......I believe and I think most Entrepreneurs will tell you that it is all worth it!
To Succeed against great odds an Entrepreneur must be blessed with or committed to continually developing the following success traits and characteristics:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/ is a great source of knowledge and guidance.
If you are interested in starting a Consulting Business I highly recommend "Getting Started In Consulting" by Alan Weiss, PhD. This is a fantastic book which has helped me a great deal; I share his Philosophy and like the the way he lays out information in an easy-read manner.
I have also been learning a great deal from the life experience of several Entrepreneurs and Business Owners that I know and have met during my Journey. There is no better source of knowledge and help that from those who have already been down the road, survived, and achieved success. So do not hesitate to reach out; I have found Business Owners are more than willing to share their success and experience and to help teach and coach others.
"When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure."
- Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
"If it really was a no-brainer to make it on your own in business there'd be millions of no-brained, harebrained, and otherwise dubiously brained individuals quitting their day jobs and hanging out their own shingles. Nobody would be left to round out the workforce and execute the business plan."
- Bill Rancic, winner on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"
"The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it."
- Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies
Being an eternal optimist and annoyingly positive person who loves to help others I am going to say if we are 100% confident in our ability and passionate our Personal Dream and Vision that we should leave the hesitation behind Get Moving. Then is it all up to you to make it happen.
Am I cut out to be an Entrepreneur?
How do the successful ones succeed while so many....the majority....fail for no lack of effort?
Might you be the next Bill Gates?
Could you succeed and might you be much happier and more fulfilled if you carefully and cautiously started your own Small Business which would enable you to finally focus on simply doing what you love to do and are truly passionate about?
What really is an Entrepreneur? Why are they collectively considered such a unique and special group of human beings?
Wikipedia defines this so-often used and often-misunderstood term as follows:
An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and is accountable for the inherent risks and the outcome.[note 1] The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to help launch a new venture or enterprise and accept full responsibility for the outcome. Jean-Baptiste Say, a French economist, is believed to have coined the word "entrepreneur" in the 19th century - he defined an entrepreneur as "one who undertakes an enterprise, especially a contractor, acting as intermediatory between capital and labour".[note 2] A broader definition by Say: "The entrepreneur shifts economic resources out of lower and into higher productivity and greater yield."[clarification needed]
Regardless of how anyone specifically defines an Entrepreneur one thing is for sure: it takes a highly special and creative individual with great drive, perseverance, and passion, to be able to, in the face of all the nay-sayers, many doubters, and willing negative anti-risk advisers, push forward with a dream, a vision, and a plan, and to successfully start their own business.
Whether I will ultimately fail or succeed with my dream and vision (Selling By Building) remains to seen: only time will tell if I will be successful in making the transition to doing what I love to do and am passionate about and be able to make a living. But I am confident. I believe. I am committed.
But, regardless of trying to predict the future, I am absolutely loving and enjoying the entire entrepreneurial process and all of the accompanying challenges inherent with starting a new business.
As a result of my current efforts in starting my own Small Consulting Business I have gained a much greater understanding of and appreciation for Entrepreneurs. Their chosen path is not easy! Those without sufficient perseverance, passion, and dedication may give up in the face of the varying challenges that all Entrepreneurs face on a daily basis.
But......I believe and I think most Entrepreneurs will tell you that it is all worth it!
To Succeed against great odds an Entrepreneur must be blessed with or committed to continually developing the following success traits and characteristics:
- Strong Work Ethic
- Highly Competitive
- Great Passion
- Great Vision
- Unyielding Drive
- Genuine Empathy
- High Level of Organization (or at least keep striving to improve in this area like me!)
- Uncanny Communication Skills: the ability to easily communicate in a positive manner in any given moment
- Exhibit Strong Leadership Skills
- Strong Presentation Skills
- Highly Developed Listening Skills
- Be Patient When Necessary
- Great Confidence
- Not Be Patient When Necessary To Make Things Happen!
- Want To Genuinely Help Other People and Other Businesses To Succeed and Develop Solutions To Problems
- I could go on. But for brevity sake and because I know you have other things to do I will stop.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/ is a great source of knowledge and guidance.
If you are interested in starting a Consulting Business I highly recommend "Getting Started In Consulting" by Alan Weiss, PhD. This is a fantastic book which has helped me a great deal; I share his Philosophy and like the the way he lays out information in an easy-read manner.
I have also been learning a great deal from the life experience of several Entrepreneurs and Business Owners that I know and have met during my Journey. There is no better source of knowledge and help that from those who have already been down the road, survived, and achieved success. So do not hesitate to reach out; I have found Business Owners are more than willing to share their success and experience and to help teach and coach others.
"When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure."
- Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
"If it really was a no-brainer to make it on your own in business there'd be millions of no-brained, harebrained, and otherwise dubiously brained individuals quitting their day jobs and hanging out their own shingles. Nobody would be left to round out the workforce and execute the business plan."
- Bill Rancic, winner on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"
"The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it."
- Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies
Being an eternal optimist and annoyingly positive person who loves to help others I am going to say if we are 100% confident in our ability and passionate our Personal Dream and Vision that we should leave the hesitation behind Get Moving. Then is it all up to you to make it happen.
Life is Short. Do Not Settle. Develop a Plan. Build a Team of Mentors and Supporters. Progress Carefully and Thoughtfully. Never Stop Asking Questions. Keep on Learning. Stay Positive. Remain Flexible. Follow Your Dreams. Persevere. Prioritize. Focus. Push Forth. Help Others. Do Not Give Up. Do Not Loose Sight Of What Is Important In Life. Appreciate Your Health. Take Nothing For Granted. Enjoy!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Taking Some Great Personal and Business Advice From Our Dogs!
Our Family has a new addition: a Dog named Red.
He is a Red-Tic English Coon Hound. (No, I also had never heard of this particular breed!)
We have had him one full week; a small duration of time during which he has already:
Despite all of this, I have grown to love Red; he is a keeper. It has been several years since we had a Dog and both my Wife and I love dogs in general. We are happy to again have a loving and trusting Dog in our lives; and our two little ones are so happy they care barely contain themselves!
This afternoon as I took Red for an hour-long walk and great conversation (mostly one-way) I got to thinking: what exactly is it that so endears us to our Dogs? Why do we grow to love them so much despite the hard work and sacrifice required to care for them on a daily basis?
After considering this I concluded the secret to their success is: the establishment of Trust and Faith!
We have complete trust and faith in our Dogs.
I then, shortly thereafter, because I have been thinking so much lately about my new consulting business (Selling By Building) and the many issues and ideas I want to address and share, realized that Business Owners and Entrepreneurs can learn some important lessons from a Dog like Red.
If you (or we I should say) want to be successful and grow your Business you too need to, as a result of how you service and treat your Customers or Clients consistently, successfully establish Trust and Faith.
This is no easy task because indeed there are many dishonest, selfish, unscrupulous, and unethical Business People out there. Because of this fact Customers or Clients are going to be hesitant, cautious, and resistant to instantly and without good reason, trust us right out of the gate.
But, We can Build Trust and Faith by adhering to the following suggestions and goals:
Now I have to ask Red to proof-read my communication here to see if he approves! I don't want to misrepresent him in any way.
He is a Red-Tic English Coon Hound. (No, I also had never heard of this particular breed!)
We have had him one full week; a small duration of time during which he has already:
- Urinated once on our Bedroom Floor.
- Busted out of his supposedly solid and full-proof metal crate. Every single day I should add since we got him.
- Decided to empty every single trash can in our house on several occasions. Unfortunately because of our young children the contents of most of the trash cans I am referring to included diapers.
- Helped himself to a big bag of Potato Chips....eating about 50% of the bag and then spreading the remaining chips, very neatly, all around our main living area.
Despite all of this, I have grown to love Red; he is a keeper. It has been several years since we had a Dog and both my Wife and I love dogs in general. We are happy to again have a loving and trusting Dog in our lives; and our two little ones are so happy they care barely contain themselves!
This afternoon as I took Red for an hour-long walk and great conversation (mostly one-way) I got to thinking: what exactly is it that so endears us to our Dogs? Why do we grow to love them so much despite the hard work and sacrifice required to care for them on a daily basis?
After considering this I concluded the secret to their success is: the establishment of Trust and Faith!
We have complete trust and faith in our Dogs.
I then, shortly thereafter, because I have been thinking so much lately about my new consulting business (Selling By Building) and the many issues and ideas I want to address and share, realized that Business Owners and Entrepreneurs can learn some important lessons from a Dog like Red.
If you (or we I should say) want to be successful and grow your Business you too need to, as a result of how you service and treat your Customers or Clients consistently, successfully establish Trust and Faith.
This is no easy task because indeed there are many dishonest, selfish, unscrupulous, and unethical Business People out there. Because of this fact Customers or Clients are going to be hesitant, cautious, and resistant to instantly and without good reason, trust us right out of the gate.
But, We can Build Trust and Faith by adhering to the following suggestions and goals:
- Be honest with your Customers and Clients. Do not sacrifice honesty and long-term trust and relationships by being dishonest in any way to achieve a short-term benefit. Nothing helps Built Trust and Faith in the minds of your Customers more than their earned perception that you are honorable and truly operate with their best interest in mind at all times. (Dogs don't lie!)
- Listen clearly and intently and sympathetically to concerns and problems expressed to you. Real and honest empathy both felt and expressed is a tremendous asset. When something goes wrong with a product or service you have represented and sold very often that is when you can prove what kind of person you are and what kind of Business you are. If you are resistant to learning about problems being experienced and conveyed to you and not sympathetically passionate about helping service your customer and help find the best solution to the greatest benefit of your customer then you are missing out one the greatest opportunities to lock in a long-term Customer who would have been a willing promoter of you and your Business. (Dogs are the best listeners!)
- Do not consistently and automatically judge. Again, keep the focus on listening openly and sympathetically to your Employees, Customers, Vendors, Management. Always seek to gain a greater understanding from those you may disagree with or not understand. Render judgement only when asked or absolutely necessary. But make sure you are communicating in a positive manner expressing only constructive criticism. (Dogs don't judge! They just keep on listening)
- Be reliable. I believe to consistently achieve this goal you have to truly care about those you are interacting with and not solely be existing for the benefit of yourself. If more people would embrace this Philosophy the world would be a better place. If you are perceived as highly reliable by your customers they will stay with you and keep coming back to you and your Company for help, value, solutions to their problems, etc. The reason we all turn to our Trusted Dogs at the end of a long, stressful, day is because we know, unquestionably and without reservation, that they will be glad (and excited as only our dogs can get excited!) to see us, listen to us, and help us feel better. That is why we love them so much. (Dogs define being reliable!)
Now I have to ask Red to proof-read my communication here to see if he approves! I don't want to misrepresent him in any way.
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