Posts Tagged ‘ goals ’

The Power of Saying NO

By Kevin M

Have you ever noticed that truly successful people have little trouble saying “no”? They may do it politely, but they do it and do it often. And they’re on to something.

“No” is a control word, a word that has real power. When we use it, we’re in control. When we don’t, we’re open to the control of others.

By saying “no”, we guard our time, our efforts and even our money. When we say “yes”, or even “maybe”, it can mean open season on all three. If you’re a “yes-junkie”—a person who feels compelled to say “yes” to nearly any request for help from nearly anyone—you might be your own worst enemy.

If we’re going to get anywhere in life we need to focus on what it is that we do best. Life is multi-faceted, but we all have two or three things that are especially important, and that’s where being able to say “no” is critical. It’s the little word that when spoken emphatically gives us the space we need to do what we do best.

Learning to say no—and meaning it—frees you up to move on to the next order of business, to that thing that moves you forward in your life. Is it any wonder that successful people master this concept?

Preparing For SEMI-Retirement

By Kevin M

While nearly everyone in the industrialized world is practically fixated on the importance of a comfortable retirement, reality may be heading in a very different direction. A report from US News (via Yahoo! Finance) entitled Why the Middle-Aged Are Missing Out on New Jobs, highlights the reasons why full retirement is getting harder to achieve for so many people.

“Numerous surveys show that perhaps half of all Americans heading toward their retirement years lack enough savings to maintain their current standard of living as they age… Add to that fears of cutbacks in Social Security and Medicare, due to the skyrocketing national debt. The golden years, for many, aren’t shimmery at all… Many seniors say they plan to postpone retirement or work indefinitely, and the data shows they’re doing just that… rising later-life employment is probably a sign of economic stress that could last awhile.”

On the surface, the article is dealing with the absence of jobs for the middle aged. But the reason it spends so much time discussing the retirement prospects of the elderly may be the more significant story. Apparently the reason middle aged workers can’t get jobs is because the elderly are working longer to delay or forgo retirement and reducing the number of jobs available to middle aged workers. That in and of itself means that fewer current middle aged workers will have the financial resources to retire when their turn comes—a vicious circle with no end in sight.

Is Money Your Obstacle – Or Your Opportunity?

By Kevin M

Money Reasons did a review on a book called How Rich People Think. I commented on the post, and it got me to thinking about some issues that may go deeper than rich versus non-rich. As much as we might want to think of rich and non-rich as a state of being, there are components to each that make them happen—a mechanical process perhaps.

Much of that seems to come down to how we think about money. Money is the conventional dividing line between rich and poor, but it seems that our attitude toward it—whether we see money as an obstacle or as an opportunity —seems to have a huge impact on where we go with it.

So how exactly do we define obstacle and opportunity mindsets as it relates to money? Rather than attempting a deep analysis, we might be better to focus on examples of each type of thinking. In this way, we can not only see our own thinking, but we might also see how it either holds us back or pushes us forward.

Work/Life Balance: Lessons from the Sea

By Jacob Mojiwat

Being at sea for long periods of time can be isolating. You cannot access the Internet or reach your friends and family at a moments notice, but there is something wonderful about being out in a world that is just you, your crew, your boat, and the elements. I find that many of the principles I live by are ideas that I formed while I was out on these adventures, away from civilization.

Here are the main ideas that I’ve been contemplating lately, and find to be truly relevant in day-to-day life:

Sometimes you have to swim against the current if you want to get to where you are going

There are so many times in life when it feels as though everything is going wrong. They say bad luck comes in threes, but all too often it comes in a tidal wave, or at least a swiftly flowing current that feels as though it will wash us away. It is hard to swim against that current. It would be so much easier, and more peaceful, to drift along with it.

Others cannot set goals for you, only you can – “Goals” set by others are really “quotas”

By Dave Kelly, Professional Speaker

“I am in excellent, physical condition.”

So goes one of the affirmations that I tell myself on a daily basis. Yet, I must admit, it is not true—not now, anyway. Affirmations do not have to be true in the here-and-now to be valid, but they do have to be something we commit to making true in the future.

I have had people ask me how can I be a “motivational” speaker and not be in peak physical condition? Well, after all, there is a niche for everything and everyone! Actually, changing my physical status has not been a goal for me, until now. I believe in speaking things into being and also sharing your goals and dreams with others. By writing this post, I am committing myself to making some positive changes that you should be able to see very soon.

Why not before now? Because it was not a priority for me. It has not been a goal that I could or would truthfully pursue.

Majoring on the Majors by Learning to Say NO

Controlling our tendency toward Creative Avoidance

By Kevin M

How is it that that some people seem enormously successful, yet astoundingly they have more free time than the rest of us? Have you ever noticed as well that some people who are incredibly busy are at best only moderately successful? Perhaps you’re one of them, always busy, but not having as much to show for your efforts as you think you should.

The typical human reaction to this apparent contradiction in the natural order of things is to assume that the successful person with all the time on his hands is a) lucky, b) has an “in” with important people, and even c) must be doing something unethical, immoral or illegal.

While each of those considerations isn’t beyond the realm of possibility, there’s a far greater chance that the successful person with all of the free time on his hands has found a way to
maximize his results while minimizing his efforts. He manages to do this by saying “NO” to unproductive tasks, either by making it clear to others up front that he won’t engage himself in them, or by simply refusing to participate.

Logically, isn’t that what we should all be doing?

Since when are you the quitting type?

By Dave “Gonzo” Kelly

That is what Fortune (Charles S. Dutton) asks of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger near the end of the movie “Rudy”. This is after Rudy has been denied the opportunity to dress (be on the sideline in uniform) for the final game of his senior season at Notre Dame. Rudy was never good enough to be a member of the team, but he spent two years working harder than anyone as a member of the practice squad. At the end of his junior year, Notre Dame head coach Ara Parseghian promised to let Rudy dress for a game during his senior season due to his hard work and dedication.

But after Rudy’s junior season, Parseghian decided to retire.

The new coach, Dan Devine, did not know about this promise, nor did he intend to let Rudy dress for a game. Rudy went through the entire season checking the weekly dress schedule and never saw his name on it. After the schedule for the final game was posted and his name was not on it, Rudy decided to quit. He walked out of the locker room determined to miss his final practice.

Then he ran into Fortune, who had been a mentor to Rudy. And Fortune reminded him of who he was.

Rudy returned to practice. The seniors rallied to his side and convinced the coach to let him dress. He even got into the game for the final couple of plays. The movie ends with Rudy being carried off the field by his teammates. But it almost never happened!

Positive Action in Your Life – Gonzo’s Great Gold Quest

By Dave Kelly

Ok, here’s the thing…

I like reaching goals.

I am an achievement junkie.

I am really into setting an objective, quantifying it, putting together a plan, and then going after it with everything that I have.

That is cool to me. It gives me energy and excitement. Provides purpose.

When I was in elementary school, I set a goal of being 6’3” tall. I am 6’2”. Not bad. Almost got there. Betcha didn’t know height is controlled by goal setting! Are you short? Raise the bar, set a higher goal!

Sometimes, though, it makes me do goofy things. Take for example, “Gonzo’s Great Gold Quest”. This was my attempt to achieve my goal of qualifying as a Gold Medallion member of Delta Airlines Sky Miles program.

Seek Fulfillment Beyond Your Work

STRATEGY #10 TO SURVIVE A DOWN ECONOMY

By Kevin M

When careers and money become questionable foundations in our lives, what’s left? It’s often only in bad economies that we even entertain the question.

In 10 Ways To Survive a Down Economy (published on Christianpf.com June 1) we listed ten strategies to help us deal with the bad economy. Our topic for today, the final strategy, Strategy #10:

Seek fulfillment beyond your work. In a world where careers are no longer either peaceful or progressive, self actualizing through your work may not be the path it’s been in the past. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to find fulfillment outside of work. Take more active roles in regard to your health, family, faith and community.

Persevere and Persist

By Dave Kelly

Are you worried about how things are going? Persevere and Persist

Having financial problems? Persevere and Persist

Lost your job? Persevere and Persist

Things seem a little out of control? Persevere and Persist

Are you to the point where you have no idea what to do? Persevere and Persist

You will come through this. You will overcome the challenges you face. You only have to do one thing: Persevere and Persist

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Posts Tagged ‘ goals ’

The Power of Saying NO

Preparing For SEMI-Retirement

Is Money Your Obstacle – Or Your Opportunity?

Work/Life Balance: Lessons from the Sea

Sometimes you have to swim against the current if you want to get to where you are going

Are pursuing Your Own Goals – or Filling Quotas Set By Others?

Others cannot set goals for you, only you can – “Goals” set by others are really “quotas”

Majoring on the Majors by Learning to Say NO

Since when are you the quitting type?

Positive Action in Your Life – Gonzo’s Great Gold Quest

Seek Fulfillment Beyond Your Work

Persevere and Persist

Financial Management