THE MORE YOU SUCCEED, THE MORE YOU'LL SEE THIS

One of the most difficult parts of becoming more successful in life... any area of life really-- from your studies, to career, to social success, to financial, all areas -- is that the better you get, the more gets thrown on your plate. Because achievers get noticed. You want more of how you're feeling when you're succeeding. So succeeding or being accomplished, to many, becomes a double edged sword. If you quit, you're a quitter. And if you continue to grow and excel, you could become overwhelmed and, voila', you feel like a failure even though you're not. Happens to everyone in some way at some time. And so each of us finds our place that we feel most comfortable. And we settle in... for life. Just like a vehicle stuck in the mud.The more you try to move, the deeper you get. So it's way easier to stay where you are at. Being disorganized is one of the major reasons for people feeling stuck. Because the more that gets thrown at you, the more organized you have to be.
And I've seen people get ingiant arguments because one person was supposed to do some task (in addition to many others, of course), it didn't get done, and so when it's pointed out, explosion..."I'm just one person! What do you expect?!"And the more this happens to them, or to their friends, the more they're convinced that just staying small is the way to go, because doing more only gets you in trouble,makes you feel bad about yourself, gets you criticized, makes you angry at life. Better to just stay quiet, not raise your hand, give no suggestions, answer no questions, be average, be like everyone else. That, my friend, is what being disorganized on any level can and does lead to.The answer for a growing number of people is to learn both the conscious and unconscious thought and belief systems of people who are extremely organized. Because when you structure your thoughts, your life and your surroundings, you can get two times, three times, even tens times as much done as most other people... often without even breaking a sweat. Work, then, becomes play, and you get to play more often.
Imagine if you never had to hunt for your keys again.
Imagine you had a place for everything and it was always there.
Imagine that you were able to get everything done on time, on schedule and on budget, because you were able to plan for all those "unexpected" problems and delays that everyone else forgets about. When your mind is organized, that is what happens.You don't forget questions that you are supposed to ask. Your kids, your direct reports, your students... all on track because you are on track.
Imagine nothing falling through the cracks in your life.That is how it is when you are organized. Stress goes down. Productivity goes up. Fun is life.

DECEMBER 25TH

“ And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life”. - Jeremiah 52:31-34.

To all readers and visitors to this web site I want to share with you the significance of the Christmas day, it is a special day Jesus Christ was born into this world to deliver mankind from his sinful way. I have studied the weather pattern over the years of that particular day the firmaments bear witness to this unique day across all countries and tribes. There is a glory over the surface of the earth while some are having snow, others fog, or harmattan haze.
In the text above King Jehoiachin of Judah was delivered on a Christmas day (in the twelfth month in the five and twentieth day of the month) hundred of years before Jesus was born. Seven significant events will happen in your life on this particular glorious day.
1. Your head will be lifted. You may have been experiencing downward trend in your life, marriage, business and workplace, you will no longer be the tail but the head. God is about changing your situation for the better because Jesus came into the world this same day to deliver you. Everyone that sees you as nobody will begin to see you as somebody very special your head will no longer be bowed but be lifted high.
2. You will be brought out of prison. Some people have been bounded without freedom under bondage of their task masters for quite sometime, you will be set free now just like those that set up Daniel into the lion’s pit, your prisoners will replace you in the prison while you will be set free, Jesus will liberate you and grant you permanent freedom.
3. You will be spoken kindly of. People have used their tongue to describe you negative. God will change their tongue and they will begin to speak well of you, they have said you are useless, good for nothing, cannot make it, never do well, under achiever all this negative qualities they describe you with they will no longer see you that way any more. A change for the better in you they will begin to see and speak of.
4. Your throne above the throne of the kings. You are meant to be a king because the son of a king is also a king, but you reign like a slave, God will dethrone everyone sitting on your throne and enthrone where you belong, to rule and reign in Christ Jesus.
5. Your garment will be changed. The garment you put on which has become a filthy rag casting aspersions at you. The way you dress is the way you will be addressed, you were addressed badly everywhere you turn to, today your garment or robe will change and as a king a sign of royalty is the kings garment. God is removing your present garment and replacing it with a new one.
6. You will continually eat bread. You may be lacking a daily bread but the great provider is already here to provide the bread you will eat all the days of your life. Every lack will be turned to abundance in your life because Jesus was born on this day like no other day.
7. You will be given a continual diet all the days until death. A diet is a food with all essential ingredients needed for growth and development. You might having lacking the essential nutrients needed for you to succeed and become great God is going to provide to you this day those nourishments needed by you for life.

WHO'S YOUR MENTOR

Who is your mentor? Who shows you the ropes, teaches you the tricks and shows you the way?This week I had several people contact me about coaching in 2009, which is a very good thing. But, I also had several conversations with people who "don't need a coach" and don't have any mentors. I noticed they didn't seem to make as much money or achieve as many of their goals in 2008. Is that you?Over and over again, I'm struck that the real winners in life always learn from those who went ahead of them. Winners ALWAYS have mentors! They learn from the experts and benefit from the success of others. Sometimes they have a personal coach - and I think that's a good thing! But often they have informal relationships with men and women who are willing to teach them. Sometimes, mentoring comes in the form of a MasterMind group or team.One of my most valuable sources of information are the seminars, workshops and lectures I attend every year.
I remember hearing a colleague say he wouldn't attend anymore seminars 'because they cut the budget and (his employer) won't pay for it anymore." How terribly short-sighted!The cost of workshops is nothing! The cost of travel, tuition and hotels is NOTHING if you learn one new idea or avoid one mistake. The chance to rub shoulders with the best and brightest in your field is priceless! In 2009, "just do it!"Double (or triple!) your budget for books and seminars, for coaching and teaching. Call the most successful people you know and buy them lunch. Take them to the best restaurant you can afford, and pick their brains. Hire a coach. Are there seminars you "might" attend in 2009? Register now! Make it a Christmas present or use any excuse you have to, but make sure you get the "helping hand" you need to make 2009 your best year ever!

Quotes of the Week
"Love is a passport to the impossible, so do not be disturbed if the seas are sometimes rough." -- Lois Wyse
"The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas." -- Linus Pauling
"What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner." -- Colette
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." -- Sir Winston Churchill

A TIME FOR NEW BEGINNINGS

This is the time when almost everyone celebrates. Some of us celebrate Christmas, others celebrate Hanukkah or the Solstice, and almost everyone celebrates the New Year--at least for business purposes. (Many people around the world traditionally use other calendars.) Whatever tradition you follow, this is a time for reflection, affirmation and joy.Personally, I don't think it's a coincidence that in the Northern Hemisphere this week is also our Winter Solstice which brings longer days, more light and the rebirth of spring. I've noticed that it's dark when I get up in the morning, it's dark when I quit in the afternoon, and I'm really looking forward to warmer days and more light! My hunch is that our ancestors felt pretty much the same way.I understand that on his deathbed, the writer and philosopher, Goethe's last words were, "More light!" and on these dark winter mornings, I agree!The combination of our traditional celebrations and the start of a New Year make this a natural time to review the past and preview the future. After all, even the sun is coming back! (My apologies to our subscribers in the Southern Hemisphere - your time will come in June!)Through the year, we work hard. We are busy and we have so much "stuff" to do that it is easy to lose our way, to take loved ones for granted and neglect our values in the rush to pay our bills and get through the day. I often think the best gift of the holidays is time to slow down, decorate our homes, spend time with loved ones and remember our roots.Too often, we become distracted by the rush and noise of daily life. Sometimes we lose our way and forget our most important goals and priorities. When that happens--and it happens to all of us at some point--we often criticize ourselves, sometimes harshly. I always tell clients to "Stop that!" Criticizing ourselves is mostly a waste of time, and worse, it can become a way to avoid starting again and moving in the direction you truly want to go.I'm no sailor or pilot, but I love the reality that ships and planes are off-course almost the entire time they are traveling to their destination. Wind and currents and human failures and the thousands of "little things" constantly toss them off-course.Isn't that how life really is? We have a destination, of course. We have values and desires, and we know our ultimate goals, but much of the time we are tossed by the winds and currents of life. We are swamped with a project at work, or an illness at home. We get caught up in a hobby or forget to say "I love you" as much as we should. That's not "good", of course, but I think it is real life. We are simply ships and planes, doing the best we can and being tossed around a bit.The difference is that sailors and pilots are never surprised or discouraged or "lost" because a gust of wind knocks them off-course. They simply adjust and keep right on going and (this is important) almost every ship and plane eventually finds the right harbor or lands at the right airport. We should learn from that.This holiday season, take time to review and affirm your course in life. Take time to shop and do all the "stuff" you have to do - that part is important - but in the midst of the hoopla, sit down with a pen and paper to review and remember your roots, your loved ones and your values.Take a moment to review and re-affirm your goals and chart a new course. If you've wandered a bit off-course, so what? If you've been tossed and blown away from your major goals, note that fact, plot a new course and get back to work. A New Year is about to begin, and the sun is coming back! Start over, start again. Even nature says it's a time for new beginnings.

THE ARENA OF SUCCESS

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly." Theodore Roosevelt

I Am - the Arena of Values
I Should - the Arena of Responsibility
I Could - the Arena of Possibility
I Would - the Arena of Negotiation
I Want To - the Arena of Vision
I Will - the Arena of Dedication
I Do - the Arena of Accomplishment

In this article we are going to be looking at the "Arenas" that every person, organization, or business can operate out of. They are Values, Responsibility, Possibility, Negotiation, Vision, Dedication, and Accomplishment. The degree of our success is directly related to the degree in which we excel in and balance these arenas. As you go through each segment, think practically, because these are intended to be more than intellectual ideas. They are intended to help you solidify them into your life and turn your potential into performance. Though this article is specific to business and industry, the principles here are easily translated into personal application.

I Am - The Arena of Values.

Every person, organization and business has values. They may not know what they are, or they may not be able to articulate what they are, but they have them. The values of a business are what they believe in. What do they think is important? What do they hold as dear to the organization? Customer satisfaction is a simple value that a business may hold, for example. What a company values will affect the way the business runs and the employees act and work, so it is important to know what your business values are. Here are some questions for you to ask. I would encourage you to involve as many top-level people in this process as possible, as well as others, even down to the lowest levels of the organization. What do we think is important? What do we hope to accomplish? What do we believe in as we go about our work? Another item to deal with is Values Dissonance. That is when you state your values and find that they are not in action in the company. This then, takes teamwork and leadership to make sure that everybody is on the same page with your corporate values. The first step in a successful organization, or for your own life for that matter, is to determine your values. I would encourage you to spend some time on this if you haven't already. And if you have, continue to make sure that everybody in the organization knows and believes in them.

MAKING SALES IN TOUGH TIMES

The best way to sum up a strategy for succeeding in uncertain economic times is a very old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” When business as a whole slows down, many business people say there’s little they can do to change the market and they have to just ride it out.
If that’s the way you think, let me ask you this, where would we be if we all thought that way about our planet? Simple awareness and desire in millions of people to see improvement in the way we care for our planet is beginning to show positive signs. The gloom and doom projections for the destruction of the earth, as we know, it are being altered by you and your neighbor recycling aluminum cans, glass bottles and paper products. If you can make a difference in something as major as saving the planet, there is definitely something you can do about the effects of a business slowdown.
The key to finding success within crisis lies in how well you handle what is happening. Succeeding or failing primarily depends on your attitude—and this is never more true than in challenging times.
In the good times we don’t pay much attention to our attitudes, but challenges are constant in our lives. In business, the economic climate is always changing. For much of the time, the changes that take place are caused by outside factors that we’re powerless to control. However, we can control how we react to a situation.
The challenge with many companies and salespeople is that they tend to let themselves become inefficient in good times. They see all the great business they’re doing today and fail to continue to take care of yesterday’s business or prepare for tomorrow’s business. They make keeping on top of the latest industry news a low priority. Then, when things get tough, it’s hard for them to buckle down and become more effective. They’ve lost some of their competitive edge.
By competitive edge, I don’t mean with the competition. I mean the competitive edge within the company—to make each department the most efficient and productive it can be tomorrow versus where it is today.
When you recognize you are in a slump, sit down and analyze what you’re doing different today from when you were at your peak of performance. Good salespeople, like good businesses, keep records and know what worked best and when. They don’t just run out and randomly try new things to turn business around. They rely on their knowledge and expertise to give them a solid footing from which to test new ideas.
One of the most important elements in surviving a business slump is having your overhead under control. However, be careful not to be so thrifty that others think you’re not doing well. First and foremost, don’t cut costs in highly visible areas if possible. If you’re having a tough time, no one should be able to tell by looking at you. Continue with a high level of grooming. Take care of your briefcase and sales tools. Keep your car clean and neat. You may have to wash it yourself or hire the neighbor’s kid to do it instead of having it detailed, but that’s okay as long as it looks good. The point is to keep things looking good and eventually they will be good again.
In good times or bad, selling is still a numbers game. The salespeople who have the highest visibility make the most sales.
Another key point to remember is that if you are facing tough times, chances are many of your regular customers are feeling the pinch as well. They may consider making changes in the amount of business they do with you or changing to lower quality materials or less service. Now is not the time to let that happen. Your best accounts should be contacted weekly during tough times. Let them know you care. Give them positive news with each call. Let them feel you are in it with them and that they are important to you. Sticking by them in tough times builds loyalty. Then, when the economy swings back around, as it always does, who are they going to remember? You.
Successful salespeople set everything else aside when they believe that the right time to cope with a major challenge has arrived. Then, they put all their energy into dealing with that challenge. They face it squarely and get creative with their solutions.
Then, there are those who do the opposite. They ignore the challenge as long and as thoroughly as they can. Rather than taking action, they worry. When they finally decide which move to make, they often find they have already lost the opportunity.
Remember: a drop of negativity is like a pebble falling into a still pool. Its impact reverberates in all directions, spreading all the way to the outward edge of the pool. Then, it comes back. Positive thoughts or actions work the same way. By spreading positive thoughts and performing positive acts with the people around you, they will in turn share that positive thought or attitude with those they meet. Just like the pebble, the positivity spreads out until you, as an individual, have made a powerful, affect on something that you once thought was a problem too large for one person to make a dent in.

BE SMART, BUILD STRONG, DO WELL IN 2009

I hope you've had a wonderful and profitable 2008! The year is essentially over and whatever you've got "in the bag" is about what you'll have for the year. Did it work out the way you hoped? Did the dreams, plans, hopes and expectations you had for the year come true? I hope so! If 2008 has been a great year, please accept my congratulations, give yourself a pat on back and celebrate! All I ask is that you take notes.
Write down the "recipe!" How did you stay on track? Who assisted you? What problems did you over-come? What is your recipe for an even better year in 2009? Take notes!On the other hand, if 2008 is drawing to a close and you are not where you wanted to be, I hope you will also take notes. Where did you go astray? What problems were unanticipated? What didn't work the way you hoped? Learn from these things so you can "do it different" in 2009!And as you review the year, please note the following paradox: For many people the economy has little to do with whether or not they had a wonderful year! If the things you can control--your time, your effort, your focus, your daily activities--were on track but the stock market crashed, or even if you lost your home or your job, 2008 might still have been a banner year! True, no one would enjoy the "bad" things, but if you worked hard and stayed on track, give yourself credit for what you did right! If you did your part, know deep in your heart that you have everything you need to put the "externals" back together. If you "built it" once, you can build it again, smarter and faster and better than ever. But I also want to address those who look at the calendar and have to honestly admit, "my recipe isn't working." If you look at the year and in your personal opinion (the only one that matters) you can't give yourself high marks for performance, persistence, creativity and (most of all) results, please have the courage to ask, "Why not?"Here are a few of the most common weaknesses that hold people back:
1. Lack of clarity. Many people "sort of muddle" through life. They have a set of fantasies or hopes or wishes, perhaps some images or expectations in their mind, but they never truly define their outcomes in advance. If this is you, take time to finally DECIDE exactly what you want. Write it down. Tell other people. Make the commitment and go get it.
2. Lack of focus. Some people are clear about what they want, but they are lazy or undisciplined, fearful or distracted and never "lay claim" to their outcomes. They want a promotion, but they also want too many other things and never focus their time, effort, creativity and emotion on "going for it." If you are clear about WHAT you want, focus on GETTING IT.
3. Poor strategy. Some people never develop specific, effective plans to get what they want. They want a promotion, but never ask their boss exactly what is required to get it. They want more money, but never devise a strategy to increase sales. They want to be better parents or life partners but never take a class, read a book or take other steps to make it happen. Make a plan and then "work your plan." until you get there.
4. Poor teamwork. This may be the most common, and perhaps the most easily corrected mistake. Too many of us try to "do it myself." Big mistake! Almost no one succeeds on their own! We need cheerleaders, supporters, mentors, coaches and partners. Have and use a MasterMind! Share your dream with people who care and who can help you achieve it! The new year is around the corner. It will be filled with opportunities to live better and smarter than ever before. Over the holidays, take time to think clearly, take notes and make changes. Notice what did you right, and write it down. Determine to continue your best activities in the new year. But be honest about your weaknesses, your mistakes, your "blind spots," and write them down as well. Take notes and wherever necessary, make changes.

Quotes of the Week

"If you can DREAM it, you can DO it." -- Walt Disney
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." -- Les Brown
"Aerodynamically a bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway." -- Mary Kay Ash
"You don't get to choose how you're going to die, or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now." -- Joan Baez

THE ART OF GIVIVNG

In the pursuit of the life we dream of, this journey we are on for successful living, the focus is usually on figuring out what it is exactly that we want and then setting ourselves on course for going and getting it. This is very important: Know what you want to get for your life and then pursue it.
But there is another aspect of achieving the life you dream of that seems on the surface to actually be counter-productive to getting the life you want, yet is imperative to the successful life. It is giving.
Giving – of yourself, your time, your money, your energy – is something that takes us from simply being successful people in the traditional sense of the term, to being people who lead successful lives.
Giving is what makes us fully human. It is the essence of what we are, people who are here on earth together, not simply people who hope to clamor to the top of the pile in the survival of the fittest. Yes, pursue your life and your success with wild abandon; be responsible for yourself and take ownership of your life, realizing that you cannot be responsible for others, but also allow yourself to become a giving person.
Giving is also what allows us to accomplish things far beyond ourselves; and that is part of what living the life of our dreams is all about, right? Accomplishing great things through ourselves – and others!
How do we do that? Here are some ideas:
Make your giving purposeful. Give to people and organizations that fulfill purposes that you believe in. This way, they feel good, you feel good, and the work you believe in gets done. Giving purposefully will give you the ability to know that your giving is doing something great.
Make your giving proactive. Take control of your giving. When we control our giving it becomes proactive rather than reactive. We know that we are doing what we want to do rather than what others may manipulate us to do. We can avoid a lot of the wondering about validity that comes when we give out of reaction. Giving proactively will give you a lot of peace of mind.
Make your giving methodical. Every month my wife and I write out our charity checks before any other checks. We do that on purpose to keep our hearts in the right place. Every month, month in and month out, year after year, we go about our giving. Our goal is to give away $1,000,000 by the end of our lives (and we may have to even readjust that goal as time goes by since we set it when we were only 24 years old and we are well on our way to that goal.) This isn’t done by giving big chunks from time to time. It is accomplished by checks each and every month, methodically. Giving methodically allows you to build up larger gifts over time.
Make your giving generous. Don’t be a tightwad! Loosen up the purse strings a bit. Think of your giving in regard to how you can be generous, not how you can cover your charitable bases. I have found that it isn’t the extra money given to charity that breaks people. It is usually mismanagement. And at the end of your life you will most likely not know the difference financially, though you will in your heart. Making your giving generous allows you to give even greater amounts over time.
Make your giving increasing. Don’t just give the same amount from year to year – increase your giving. I think there are two good times to readjust your giving: The first of the year and any time your income goes up. Bump your giving up then, if you can. This will keep you on pace with your giving goals and you will notice the increase less from your bottom line. Make your giving increasing and your giving will keep pace with your income.
Make your giving from the heart. Don’t just let your giving be a mind issue. Let it be a heart issue. This is what gives us our humanity. What causes make your eyes tear up? What causes really mean something to your heart when you are honest with yourself? Start giving to these causes! Let your checkbook be a reflection of your heart! Make your giving from the heart and you will allow your heart to grow.
(Sometimes) Make your giving spontaneous. Sometimes… Allow yourself to be spontaneous with your giving. Do allow yourself to react sometimes. Will you get taken advantage of? Yes, sometimes. But you will also be doing something within yourself that will keep you from becoming cynical. Sometimes, as life has been good to you and you find yourself blessed, let yourself be the blessing to someone else. Make your giving spontaneous (sometimes) and you will battle the disease of cynicism about charity that can creep in.
These are just a few ideas that you can implement right now to begin the art of giving in your life. The key is to decide that you will become a giver, and not merely a taker. You will choose to leave something behind in this world and not merely try to get something out of it.
And as we all commit to that, our world will be a better place and we can all live the lives that we dream of.

PRACTICE GOLDEN RULE SELLING

To improve your sales performance, adopt the Golden Rule mentality. The Golden Rule says to, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It also says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." The Golden Rule mentality in sales, says simply, "Sell unto others as you would have them sell unto you."
Different Strokes For Different Folks
What does this mean? Aren't there all kinds of different personalities that require different approaches and techniques? Well, yes and no. Practicing the golden rule in selling simply means that you sell to other people the way you would like to be sold to. You sell with the same honesty, integrity, understanding, empathy and thoughtfulness that you would like someone else to use in selling to you.
Seek First to Understand
If you would like a salesperson to take the time to thoroughly understand you and your situation before making a recommendation, you practice the same thing with your customers. If you would like a salesperson to give you honest information and to help you make an intelligent buying decision, you practice the same with your customer. If you would like a salesperson to be thoroughly knowledgeable about the strengths or weaknesses of his or her product or service, and that of his or her competitors, then you do the same with your product or service and your competitors.
Care About Your Customers
Perhaps the most important part of golden rule selling is the emotional component embraced in the word, "caring." Top sales professionals care about their customers. They care about themselves, their companies, their products and services, and they really care about helping their customers to make good buying decisions. If you think about the very best salespeople you know, you will recognize that they are caring individuals.
They Don't Care How Much You Know
If you think about your very best customers, you will recall that these are invariably people you care about, and who care about you. When you think about the people you buy from, you will recall that they seem to care about you more than the average. In every part of your business life, you will find that the significant people all have the denominator of caring as part of their character and their personalities.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, resolve today to sell to your customers with the same honesty, empathy and understanding that you would like them to use in selling to you.
Second, take time to genuinely care about your customers, their individual needs and their unique situations. Make people feel important and they will make you feel important.

THE GREAT BUSINESS DISCOVERY OF 2008

We are nearing the end of 2008 and one of the most important (and profitable) investments you can make is to review the past few months very, very carefully. To an amazing degree, we humans are creatures of habit. We are great examples of Newton's law that, "a body set in motion tends to remain in motion." We tend to plunge blindly ahead, repeating yesterday's mistakes and failing to learn from experience. Yes, we take great pride in the fact that we "can" learn, but my observation is that we rarely do. We assume that what worked last year will be the best way forward next year. Now, of course, we all know we should be innovative, creative and original. We know that, but do we do it? When Jack Welch was the head of General Electric, he insisted that half the company's profits come from products and services that were less than five years old. Why? Because he knew that yesterday's methods would never work in tomorrow's world. Take time - several hours, perhaps more - to carefully review the following questions:
1. What worked best last year? What surprised me, inspired me or taught me something new for my work or business?
2. What did not work, or is working less and less well? What was less profitable or less effective than I expected? What should I drop altogether in the new year?
3. What's new in my field? What are my colleagues doing that I should apply to my business?
One of the absolute BEST things any professional, business owner or manager can do is invest in seminars and conferences. The chance to get away and "see the forest for the trees" is incredibly valuable. Conferences generate new perspectives, and new ideas create vast new opportunities! Invest in yourself!

Quotes of the Week
"The great tragedy of life is not death, but what dies inside of us while we live." -- Norman Cousins
"It takes great courage to faithfully follow what we know to be true." -- Sara E. Anderson
"Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become." -- Barbara Geraci
"Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it's holy ground. There is no greater investment." -- Stephen Covey