There are two ways of meeting difficulties; you alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them. – Phyllis Bottome
Monday, November 27, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
Initiative is to success what a lighted match is to a candle. - Orlando A. Battista
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. - E.P. Powell
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in circumstances confronting him. - St. Thomas Aquinas
When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking (written by a former child)
A message every adult should read, because children are watching you and
doing as you do, not as you say.
doing as you do, not as you say.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the
refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned
that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me
and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there
is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a
friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of
each other.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of your time and money to
help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something
should give to those who don’t.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of our house and
everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw how you handled your
responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good and I learned that I would
have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I
learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be
everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I learned most of life’s lessons that I
need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say,”Thanks
for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”
Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influence
the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today? Just by
sending this to someone else, you will probably make them at least think
about their influence on others.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Faith In Myself by Marjorie Holmes
Faith in Myself
God give me faith in myself, not only on days when I’m doing great and winning and nothing seems impossible
but on days when the whole world looks lousy and I’m losing and the road ahead seems too hard. When I wonder if I’m brave enough
smart enough
and I must be crazy to try, don’t let me quit Lord
not ever. Let me keep the faith in myself. No matter how many people discourage me
doubt me
laugh at me
warn me
think me a fool . . . don’t let me listen. Let me hear another voice telling me, “You can do it and you will!” If nobody else in htis whole world gives a darn or believes in me
let me believe in myself. I know ther’ll be times when I will doubt my own ability, when I’ll be discouraged and on the verge of despair, don’t let me give up
hang onto me. Fan the fires so that I’ll try even harder. Give me even more faith in myself.
but on days when the whole world looks lousy and I’m losing and the road ahead seems too hard. When I wonder if I’m brave enough
smart enough
and I must be crazy to try, don’t let me quit Lord
not ever. Let me keep the faith in myself. No matter how many people discourage me
doubt me
laugh at me
warn me
think me a fool . . . don’t let me listen. Let me hear another voice telling me, “You can do it and you will!” If nobody else in htis whole world gives a darn or believes in me
let me believe in myself. I know ther’ll be times when I will doubt my own ability, when I’ll be discouraged and on the verge of despair, don’t let me give up
hang onto me. Fan the fires so that I’ll try even harder. Give me even more faith in myself.
Dear Lord, You are the source of life and power. You are the source of my abilities . . . and my faith. Thank you for reinforcements. I know that YOU will give me what I ask . . .
Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We only have this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand, and melting like a snowflake. – Marie Beyon Ray
Saturday, November 18, 2006
The difference between poor people and rich people is that
poor people spend their money and invest what’s left over;
rich people invest their money and spend what’s left over.
-Jim Rohn
poor people spend their money and invest what’s left over;
rich people invest their money and spend what’s left over.
-Jim Rohn
Rich People’s Time Management courtesy of Mary Pat Raynor
If the difference between poor people’s money management and rich people’s money management is as simple as prioritising future wealth over current spending, then it would follow that rich people’s time management must begin with a focus on income-producing activity and that any remaining time would be spent on what’s left over.
I first came across the system I’m going to share with you as part of a well-marketed life coaching program that required would-be participants to offer proof that their income was in excess of $200,000 a year. My sharing it here is less an act of latent socialism (Come the revolution, we’ll all manage our time this way 
The system below is my adaptation of the basic system, and is based on dividing your calendar into three kinds of days, each one representing a different aspect of your working life…
a. Focus Days
What are the 20% of your activities that account for 80% of your income?
If you’re not clear what your high-profit activities are, ask yourself this question - what are the one, two, or three of your business activities that if you could spend 8 hours a day focused on them, your business, income, and/or life would get noticeably better?
Focus Days are spent EXCLUSIVELY focused on these high-profit activities. That means no interruptions, no phone calls, no e-mail, and no admin (unless, of course, interruptions, phone calls, e-mail, and admin are how you and your business make the majority of your money).
Focus Day’s for a salesperson might be spent following-up leads, servicing your most important clients, or cold-calling for future revenue; for a coach, Focus Day’s might well be spent coaching current and potential future clients. If you run a business, you may well spend Focus Day’s brainstorming and developing new initiatives, better systems, and improving your product or service.
How on earth can you run a business without interruptions, phone calls, e-mail, and admin? You can’t! That’s why you have…
b. Support Days
Support days are for doing all the things you need to do to maintain your business, honor your commitments, and take the follow up actions generated on your Focus Days. These are the days where you return phone calls, clear your in-box, file your papers, and set up actions and appointments for your next Focus Day.
At first, you may find you need two or three support days for every Focus Day. Over time, as the power of your focus allows you to get more done in less time, that balance will shift, and you will find that one Support day can set you up for the week!
So, that’s it right? Wrong! If you want to have a life worth living, you’d better factor in…
c. Free Days
At my father’s business, he instituted a policy of Free Days - a legitimate day off at full pay, no questions asked and no explanations or excuses needed. These days became so precious to his employee’s that if someone needed to miss work for a family emergency or illness, they would often request not to be paid for the day, rather than use up one of their Free Days .
When’s the last time you took a day off? Not time off , not an hour for lunch or a couple of hour’s for a movie, but a whole day where your body, mind, and spirit were focused, guilt-free, on connecting with loved ones, enjoying nature, or just engaging in some purposeless fun?
Free Days are exactly what they sound like - days where you are free to do anything that appeals to you that is not connected to your work or your business. It is recommended that you schedule at least 100 Free Days in your first year of implementing this time management system.
If that sounds like way too many days off, you’re probably still stuck in the notion that the longer and harder you work, (as opposed to the more focused and systematic you are in the way you work) the more successful you’ll become. In this instance, I recommend at least 150!!!
Today’s Experiment:
1. Identify your high-profit, high-leverage activities. What are the one, two, or three things you do that bring you the maximum return on investment?
2. Schedule your first Focus Day for later this week. Use the time between now and then as Support Days, clearing and preparing your schedule to be able to focus exclusively on your high-profit activities for an entire day.
3. Schedule your first Free Day - if this is difficult for you, make a list of things you enjoy doing and choose specifically what you will spend your Free Day doing. Eventually, you will be able to improvise these days, and they will become a touchstone for who you are when nobody’s watching that carries forward into your working week.
Have fun, learn heaps, and fill all your days with joy!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
There is no such thing as a great talent without great will-power. - Honore De Balzac
