WEALTH – It’s not about the money…

January 20, 2015 By

Wealth LetterpressJim Rohn, an early mentor in my life taught that the major reason for setting any goal is what it is going to make of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get. This is very true when it comes to goals that we set for ourselves and wealth.

What is your wealth goal? Close your eyes with me for a moment and let’s transport ourselves forward to that place where you have reached your wealth goal. You are there! Perhaps you’ve achieved your first profitable year in your business. Maybe for you it’s reaching that first year with a six figure income. Or perhaps it’s a seven figure income or even eight figures. Are you there? Can you see it? Are you smiling yet? Good! Now join me back here in this present day.

The point of that exercise is to take you forward mentally and emotionally. Getting to that point will change you. You will not get there without growing and evolving from who you are today. But what exactly will bring that transformational change and what does it mean in your life?

Let’s break it down.  W-E-A-L-T-H

The W of wealth is really quite simple. It’s completely going back to the basics. It’s about WORK. As we work our way to wealth, the work we do, how we do it and our mastery of it is going to change. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase before that your net worth is in your net work. I’m going to challenge that and ask you to think about it this way: Your net worth will never exceed your SELF worth. Your self-worth is impacted more than anything else by the self esteem and confidence that grows from the accomplishments in your work.

So what is next? The E in wealth is about your EXPERIENCES.  What are you experiencing in life? This is not about expertise, it is about the experience. Where are you going to go on this journey? What are you going to see? What are you going to experience? When I speak with highly successful people and they talk about their life, they talk about what they have experienced. They are collecting experiences and they are being enriched. A wealthy lifestyle is not about what you have. It is about how you use what you have, starting today. What experiences are you creating in your life?

Right after E, we come back to the beginning of the alphabet – A. This is also where I believe we come back to the beginning of setting ourselves up for sustainable success and that is our ASSOCIATIONS. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with in any area of your life.  We like our comfort zones and that includes keeping people close by that are comfortable. But the truth is that we need people that challenge us. Not as competitors, but as co-creators in this life. Associations go beyond just what people have attained or the goal you are stretching for. They also represent an alignment of values. And it is one of the best ways to connect. What causes are you associating with and who else is there? Those associations are priceless and beyond measure because of the WORK you will do together.

With L we find the wealth of LEARNING, of knowledge. But not just in the knowing, the wealth happens with understanding. Whatever we want to achieve in life requires us to be continuously learning. In today’s world, there is no static platform that is sustainable. Personal and professional growth is required. We need to take it in.  As much information as we can about the skills and values we care about.  That is what being a lifelong learner is about.  It is a simple matter of curiosity and taking it in.

As we progress on our road to success we will certainly learn to cherish the wealth of T: TIME. One of the results of the journey is being smarter about how we invest our time and our partnership with it.  Of the three resources we have at our disposal (money, energy, time) it is only one that is finite. Because of that, its value is increased.

Which brings us to H: On our journey to and through wealth, it is about HEALTH.  Everything about our lives is impacted by our health. There is little point to reaching your other goals if you are not able to enjoy them. But let’s talk about this for a moment because sometimes I believe we confuse some of these terms. Health is a broad subject. A question to ask ourselves is this: “What are you tolerating that you can change?” When was the last time you were at the dentist, got your eyes checked, had an annual physical? Ladies – did you get your mammogram this year? Do more than share posts about Breast Cancer Awareness. Go get them checked! Be here at your best so you can serve at your best.

These six areas represent the forms of WEALTH where mastery will give you value beyond any monetary goals you achieve. These areas are also a great starting point for creating your Life Plan. When you are at your summit, what do each of these look like? Where are you today? How will you get there? Develop a strategy for true wealth and get started!

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

Live your WEALTH!

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What will you do today? A jelly bean life…

October 13, 2014 By

Jelly BeansMuch of my professional life has been spent working with some kind of data analysis.  Even the most abstract scenarios will have some kind of profile that will allow you to create a model of that information. Those numbers tell a story.

The same is true of our lives.  When I first saw the video being shared today I was intrigued.  Then I watched it again and I realized that in life, as in business, sometimes it is not so much what we know as much as it is when we know it.

The timeliness of information is crucial for one reason only.  It impacts our decisions.  When we have information at the right time to use for making smarter decisions everyone benefits.

And that is the value of this video.  The days of our life illustrated by jelly beans.  Sounds pretty silly.  But the story is anything but.  When you see the way time is swept off the screen and think about it’s true value, you become far more protective of where it goes and how it is spent.  Or at least that was my response to this. You can make better decisions.  About your life.  About your day.

Because having the information is only valuable if we apply it.  In business and in life.

Watch the video.  Then you will see the point of the question.  What will you do today?

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

 

Filed Under: Inspiration & Creativity, Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A new world of chain reactions

September 21, 2014 By

Paying it ForwardOne of the ideas that has intrigued me recently is how we as a society have adopted and are participating in activities designed to create a chain reaction. It’s really not a new concept but for a very long time, unless we were talking about a domino game it wasn’t something we intentionally set out to create.

And yet today we do.

Whether it’s paying it forward at a Starbucks window, taking on an ice water bucket challenge in support of ALS awareness or inviting friends and families to create gratitude posts on Facebook as examples, we as a society are actively looking for ways to join with a cause and make our world a better place.

What is creating this force of good? From what I have observed, it stems from three fundamental shifts that have impacted all of us. First is the  increased recognition that regardless of how different we may be, as a human race, we universally share the same hopes and dreams, and yes, even fears. Technology has created more than a global economy. It has also created a global neighborhood.  Instead of being limited to watching life go by from our front porches we are seeing it from the pages and screens of social media platforms and digital communities. This brings us together in ways we might never have imagined and allows us to appeal to each other’s basic humanity in ways we would never have dreamed possible.

The second part of this is that we’re able to readily see and share what happens when we take those steps to join in. That serves to fuel the fire for more. Imagine that if you just paid it forward at the Starbucks window and never found out you were number 498 in an ultimate line of over 700 as happened recently in St. Petersburg, Florida. You would still take satisfaction from having contributed to that one person but now you can know that you didn’t just impact one person, you were part of a movement in a single day that touched over 700 lives. That can be some pretty heady and “hearty” stuff. It also means that the next time you pull up, you might even be number 1 in an ultimate line of over 700 instead of number 498. We like being a part of good things.

The third component of this is that it gives legs to our hope that there is good in our world. The news is filled with so much heartache.  We need to know about that, too because we are a part of that as well. But when we have the chance to catch sight of that flame of hope for the good in all of us, it is rejuvenating. We can pause amidst the clutter and chaos and take in a moment that is really just about doing some good. Those moments can even serve to stop the chain reaction of some of the heartache.

How incredibly powerful it is to know that we can create good with such simple acts not just in the moment, but within the moments to come as our actions and examples create the genesis of so many more. The video in today’s post is a story board of this. As each person witnesses a kindness, they are inspired to create one of their own. And in the end, the world is a better place. All because someone cared enough to drop the first domino.

How about it? Let’s start some chain reactions in our lives and with our lives beginning today.

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

Live well.

Filed Under: Personal thoughts & insights, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , ,

What happens at halfway?

June 3, 2014 By

JuneAs the calendar flipped over to June,  I began reviewing where I am so far this year on my intentions and goals for 2014. The halfway point is nearly here and that’s a critical point in any endeavor.

Here are three reasons the half-way point is a valuable milestone:

1)  We have more behind than ahead of us which can be an added push element.  For example, if I’m in a challenge to do something every day, week or month for a specific period of time, when the numbers completed are greater than those left to go, a successful finish becomes more real.

2)  If the obstacles have been great, the half-way mark can be where we throw up our hands and quit if our motivation isn’t strong enough to mandate an innovated approach to turning things around. Here is the power of hope in our quest. If we don’t require ourselves to believe with active faith, we will see the road ahead just like the road behind and discouragement can be our nemesis.

3)  If we’re ahead of our pace, the half-way mark can be where we up our game and make a commitment to a stronger finish. While this can be a great motivator and in many cases is exactly the right response, we also have to recognize that celebrating our progress and allowing it to be enough for the day is also part of building self-confidence for other goals as well.

Recently, I have been reflecting on what has made the most difference throughout history where there were significant shifts and change that has profoundly impacted us today.  It is clear that while the specifics were varied, the basic principles remained true.  The same initial three elements were in play: a vision, a decision and action.  The game changer though is in the fourth element:  Commitment.  You can substitute many words here such as discipline, resolve, perseverance even integrity. But it all comes down to the same thing. We must stay with it to finish it.

As we’re coming to the halfway point of 2014, here are some words of wisdom to inspire and motivate us on to success:

“It’s not enough to do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.” (Winston Churchill)

“It’s not what you are going to do, but it’s what you are doing now that counts.”  (Napoleon Hill)

“Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” (Zig Ziglar)

And with the quotes, there is always a question in order to put them to work. Here is the one that I ask everyday:

“How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I’m committed to?” (Tony Robbins)

 

 

 

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Power of Words: What inspires you?

April 9, 2014 By

We all know that when someone tells us that they care about us it makes a difference. It can soothe us, create a sense of security and even contribute in some ways to our own sense of value.  There are, however, some sentiments that are even more powerful and can inspire people to take action and greater leaps of faith.  And that changes their life.  Four of the most powerful words we can offer someone to inspire them is to simply tell them:  I believe in you.   Hope and faith – two of the most powerful forces in the world.  And we have the power to inspire both so easily.

Let me start:  I believe in you.

Pass it on…

Believe in you

 

Filed Under: Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , ,

3 Keys to a More Satisfying Life & Work

March 12, 2014 By

Old keysMultiple studies have shown that over 50% of people no longer find satisfaction in their life or work. In fact, they are becoming increasingly unhappy. While specific reasons vary, they generally fall into one of three categories:

1-  They no longer feel like a meaningful contributor;

2-  They are no longer comfortable taking risks;

3-  They did not plan to be where they are at this point in their life.

What about you?  On a scale of 1 to 10 – where is your life-work satisfaction meter registering?  If you are in that 50% that is dissatisfied, it is time for you to look more closely at your situation and determine what steps you can take to reclaim satisfaction in your life and work.

There’s another facet to realize about these three indicators and how they each can accelerate the others. Are you in the first group but find that the second point keeps you from taking action? Or perhaps you are in the third group but due to the second point, you are settling for far less than you can accomplish.  You see, these really do go hand in hand. Think of them as gears, one turns the other.  Not satisfied with what you are doing?  Too unsettled to fix it? Feeling trapped and without choices?

If this is you, the first step is going to be to take responsibility for where you are and stop allowing yourself to fall prey to victim thinking. I can share with you that when it was first put to me in those terms, I was insulted.  In fact I reacted badly until I realized it was in fact true. I was allowing myself to be held hostage. I was a functioning victim of the economy and settling for someone else’s idea of how to define and deal with risk in my own life.

So what can we do about this?  Consider with me these three basic keys to going from dissatisfied to satisfied:

  1. Commit to total honesty & self awareness
  2. Commit to being open to a new way of seeing everything
  3. Commit to taking responsibility and action

That’s it – three key ideas to consider.  If you are willing to make those three commitments, then get on board.  Your journey is about to get interesting and yes – satisfying.  Always remember, there is more value in the rest of your story than you ever dreamed possible. And if a different perspective would be helpful, we’re always here to help as your possibility partner.

Live well. Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , ,
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