Archive for the 'Personal Success' Category

Purpose Beyond Priorities

Jason February 4th, 2007

It’s been over a month since my last post, which clearly indicates that this fellow is certainly not in the running for “most prolific blogger.” The good news is, the fact that it has been so long gives me a good point to discuss: Priorities.Blogging is something I do to share, and something I find interesting. It forces me to sharpen my perspective, while offering the opportunity to share those ideas with others. You see, when I did the previous posts I really looked hard at my personal purpose and goal lists, and “blog” was no where on there.

For me, blogging isn’t so much about density as it is about quality. As such, I’m extremely selective in which blogs, forums, etc. that I keep up with. While I’ve recently begun Paul Schele’s “Photoreading” course (amazing stuff - try it before you disregard it as nonsense), I’m currently a relatively slow reader. This means reading takes time, and lots of it. For me, reading is a priority, so I make time for it. But, it has to fit in with everything else, in proper proportion and balance.

Sometimes, I think personal development buffs allow themselves to get so focused on the preparation of personal development that they never actually implement any of the concepts, techniques, or other “stuff” that we learned. Personal development and blogging have both become very valuable industries to those who ultimately put the book down and apply what they learn to their own ventures. Let’s not allow ourselves to get so caught up in activity and “staying busy” that we forget about purpose.

I see people daily who are very busy going as fast as they can to no place in particular. You know the ones I mean. These folks forgot to review their purpose or goal list that morning. They’re involved in every activity, extra-curricular, club, social organization… you name it, under the sun, which is great. I’m a big believer in being involved with your community, church, family, schools, and so on. But there comes a point where, in trying to give 100% to everything, we can give 100% to nothing. We all can grow and stretch to do more, but we all need to know our current limits, too. It’s that balance thing again. Being a leader isn’t about being the leader in everything. It’s about being a leader in the things that are most important to you and your purpose. Besides, maybe the leadership role in that 4th or 5th volunteer association you’re a member of is the perfect training ground for a new, up and coming community leader. Give them that chance.

So, identify what your main purpose and/or goals are. Break it down… over the course of your life, in the next 20 years, next 10 years, next 5 years, next year, next month, next week, tomorrow. Use some of the techniques from my previous post. This may sound intimidating, and it should. It’s probably one of the most challenging things you’re going to do… determining what the heck you really want to do with your life. Just remember, you’re not locked in here on the super-long-term things… these can and will evolve.

The point is:
• Get focused on something.
• Determine the action steps required.
• Do them.

No magic formula here. This is what it takes, day by day. And doing it day by day is the secret. It’s been said the secret to your success is hidden in your daily routine. Whoever said that wasn’t lying. What’s your daily routine? How much of that activity is truly in line with your goals, outlined above? When you get honest about that, if you’re feeling a bit stunned, embarrassed, silly, or what-have-you… Remember:

It’s okay.
You’re not alone.
Now, fix it.

The Business of You

Jason October 26th, 2006

An associate of mine made an offhanded comment the other day in conversation that I thought was truly profound. (Incidentally, it seems that’s how some of the most profound comments come about… when they’re not planned.)

He said that one of the reasons most people seem to be constantly chasing their tails in life is because they’re operating on the previous generation’s knowledge. They learned “the way things are” from their parents, mentors, and teachers. And, because most people are not on a path of continual learning and discovery, they’re operating on a set of “facts”, rules, and concepts about life, money, relationships, etc. that are at least 20 years old.

Of course, there are major principles in all areas that never change. They are as solid as the laws of gravity. But, then again, Einstein showed us that even that is relative.

Most people know that the idea of, “Get a good job with a big company and stay there forever” is basically dead. We know it intellectually, but how many of us are really acting on that knowledge? Are we doing anything about it, or are we perhaps really just operating on reflex, on programs running in the background that have been placed there at an early age, through influence of our former (or even current) mentors?

We are all in business, even if we’re not “in business.” We are in the business of building our own lives. We are in the business of managing, promoting, and selling our own skills, in the form of a career (or careers). Are we making proper, long-term, business-like decisions about where we are going? Are we remaining flexible? Are we planning for the future, particularly financially, or are we banking on a 401k? You probably know that Social Security isn’t going to cut it for you, but neither is your 401k, by itself. Be brave, and honest, and do the math, remembering that a good rule of thumb is to figure, on average, every 20 years the cost of living just about doubles. Some people say every 10. I cannot say how many times I’ve heard the story of my grandfather buying two Cadillac’s on the same day in 1970 for $7000… together.

Continuing education is not just something that personal development buffs do anymore. It’s a necessity to even maintain status-quo. If you’re not busy growing, you’re busy dying, or so the saying goes. I’m not saying you need to go back to school, I’m saying you should have never left. If your goal is financial independence at any time in your life, let alone early retirement, continuing education in the areas of finance, investment, and personal management are a must. You cannot afford to operate on old assumptions.

Applied, knowledge is power. Whatever your career skills or personal interests are, become an expert. Experts never stop learning… that’s how they stay experts. And, always take an opportunity to learn something new that you know nothing about. Little is more expensive than trying appear knowledgeable in the presence of those who know more, on a given subject, than you do. Ask questions. If they really know what they’re talking about, they’ll respect you for your sincere interest. We’re all ignorant, just on different subjects. If you are an expert in what you do, you will be the one answering the questions soon enough.

People, period.

Jason October 18th, 2006

I am not of the mindset that we shouldn’t care what anyone else thinks. I just don’t care what people who don’t care about me think about me. LOL… what a sentence. Otherwise, I think it’s pretty important that we pay attention to the opinions, thoughts, and feelings of others. They are signals pointing out opportunities for us to serve, and a service-mentality is key to all kinds of success, particularly financial.

We are built to interact with other people, and if we plain don’t care about other’s thoughts, opinions, feelings, etc, our relationships probably aren’t going to work out so well. Remember: Success=Happy. And because we’re built to live in harmony with others, at least at some level, People become a big part of the “Happy.” How many people do you know without at least some strong, nourishing relationships that are very happy?

Now, for the dollars and cents of it: Money is simply an expression of our relationships. Joan Sotkin at ProsperityPlace.com does a great job in her podcast illustrating this principle. The more people we serve and interact with, the more money comes to us as a natural byproduct. Money is simply exchanged because you cared enough about what someone else thought, wanted, or needed, and then provided some kind of service that filled that desire. Want more money? Find a way to fill a gap. Find something that people want, and they will pay you for it. Find a big gap, and fill it in a big way, and they’ll pay you big for it. It’s a pretty simple equation.

Success = Happy.

Jason September 27th, 2006

So, here’s the question that’s about as worn out as the pair of sneakers in the back of your closet that you never wear and really should part with, but just won’t: What is success, to you?

Pretty cliche, huh? Nonetheless, it’s one that needs answering. And, truthfully, the reason it may seem so worn-out is because for many of us the answer changes as we go along. It’s one of those life-things that, as you grow and experience more of life, evolves with you.

At risk of oversimplifying, here’s a couple simple ideas to get you started in painting the picture of your success:

Success = Happy.

Ultimately, success ought to feel good. Peroid. And to consistently maintain that, one requirement is that your success be holistic, meaning it’s well-rounded. Success gained one area of life at the sacrifice of another, on the long-term, probably isn’t going to achieve the ultimate results you really want. That’s not to say that being a little bit “out of balance” temporarily may not be required to feel out a situation of idea and determine if it fits in your picture. But, I don’t know too many people who consistently make a habit of having themselves out of whack who seem very happy or at peace.

Balance = Synchronized.

Whenever the topic of “being in balance” comes up, I always have to point out that the definition of “balanced” is entirely up to the individual. A “balanced” life for me may not be the same as a “balanced” life for you. Perhaps the term to use that might help with this, rather than “balanced”, is “synchronized.” That is, are the aspects of your life in tune with your inner balance equation? When we’re meeting our personal social, spiritual, recreational, family, financial, etc. expectations, we’re generally pretty happy.

In an ideal world, as we grow, we would grow completely synchronized with this equation. But, for most of us, we tend to overemphasize one area or another of our equation, and while we may grow in that area, we starve the others. Learning to synchronize is, in itself, part of the success journey.

It’s only temporary.

Jason September 20th, 2006

When it comes to following through on an idea, having a strong level of belief in the viability and potential of the idea is an obvious prerequisite for success. Most people have the ability to believe in an idea strongly for a period of time.

Unfortunately, for many, that period of time may amount to about three minutes. That’s usually the amount of time it takes for someone else to point out all the “problems” or challenges that may surround the idea. If you’re tough enough to make it through the doubters and move on it, inevitably something is going to happen to sway your confidence.

Now is where the rubber meets the road for personal belief. However, a dynamic of belief that leads to success is not only believing in what you’re doing, but also the knowledge that no matter what the current challenge, issue, loss, fear, doubt or failure you may be experiencing happens to be… it is temporary. Knowing that all circumstances are temporary can do wonders to keep you focused and moving on when times are less than ideal, as well as when you’re thinking that you’re all that and a bag of Fritos. As they say, “This too, shall pass.”

Besides, do you really want to go back to what you were doing, thinking, and feeling before you got the gumption to do the “something better” that you’re striving for? While at times it may look attractive to get warm and cozy in that blanket of mediocrity, just remember that when you started all this, the first thing you realized that it really wasn’t all that warm and cozy.

Whoops, I’m doing it again…

Jason September 18th, 2006

I simply will not resist any longer. I know floating around in this cranium, I’ve got stuff to share.

So, let’s start with something that I’ve found myself doing a bunch lately, and that is writing down random thoughts. I’m convinced that everyone… and I mean everyone… has momentary flashes of brilliance. The question is, do we cultivate them? In a way, everyone is an Einstein and an Edison, a Socrates and a Plato, a Mozart and a Jimi Hendrix. We all think or say things from time to time that take our own breath away. But do we build on them?

You’ve heard it said the brain is a muscle. That means that all functions of the brain, from the structured to the creative, are all able to be developed, grown, and stretched. How do we do that? The same way you do a muscle… exercise. Hence, the analogy.

A good way to start exercising is to take the initiative to write down these little epiphanies as they happen. Have you ever noticed that these flashes tend to happen at a time when it’s not all that convenient to take the time to expand upon them? In the shower? On the way to work? At your kids’ softball game? While I’m not yet certain of the reason for that, I believe it is due, in part, to the mind being in a more relaxed state.

So, whatever you do, write it down, plug it into a Word document…whatever works for you. If my laptop is available, I use MacJournal for saving these kinds of thoughts. Otherwise, I carry index cards with me constantly. Get a small personal recorder to make verbal notes if you’re in the car, but be sure to review and write it down later. The simple act of writing things down increases our ability to not only remember those things, but to digest them more fully. By integrating the motor skill of writing with the thought, it’s like telling your subconscious mind, “Wow, that was great. Let’s do that some more.” Your subconscious will recognize the value you placed on that moment of inspiration if you consciously make the effort to acknowledge it. And, consequently, will work to deliver more. Exercise.

Then, review your notes regularly. Sooner than later, you will surprise yourself with some of the insights you’ve come up with. Expand upon them, if possible. Do not force it. If it doesn’t flow, let it go. If it”s valuable for you, it will come.

A big part of understanding the value of this practice comes with first understanding the value of yourself. Of your ideas. Of your potential. But, that’s another topic, for another day…