Goals: Don’t Wait. Don’t Look Back…

“Run love! Run!” Those were the words I shouted to my preschooler when she was running track on her first school’s sports day. We found out that she had talent very early. She started running and when she discovered that she was way out ahead of the other runners, she stopped to look back for the other kids in the race. And if that was not enough, she decided to wait on them to catch up with her. It was a hilarious sight! Indeed it was no surprise when she became Famous for this little feat.

But aren’t we a lot like that at times? We are making huge progress towards our goals, dreams, and aspirations, then we stop. It seems too good to be true. We wait and before realize it, we have missed our path and go off track.

As we approach yearend, how have you been progressing towards your goal? Personally, I am progressing well in some areas but in others as life’s busyness steps in, I stagnate and fall behind. Thank goodness for my awareness that keeps me going.

What about you? How have been progressing? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

Overnight Success. Truth or Myth?

It’s Not Their Dream. It’s Yours. Never Give Up.

Kevin Hart shares his 20-Year Journey to Overnight Success.

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Overnight success. Do you believe it to be true, or is it just a myth? Do share. We would love to hear!

Cheers!

How To Evaluate Your Career…

Stuck? Fed up? Not sure what to do? Pondering when to make the move? Having the toss up between career and entrepreneurship?

Embrace the conversation on evaluating your career and opportunities. In this interview, Kerry-Ann Reid-Brown and I share early career mistakes and how we do things differently because of what we learned from those mistakes. Listen as we shared laughter, Assumptions, regrets and key learnings on steps you can take to evaluate where your career is heading.

Want to know what to do with your career now? Let’s connect.

Cheers!

Disrupt Your Life!

Downsize! Disrupt your life. Empty nester or not. Things Disappear, they don’t make you happy. My love of transitions began when I entered midlife…a crisis that now ranges between 30 and 40 years old these days. It was a time of Awkward craziness for me. I was already ‘successful‘ as society defines it but I wanted more. I wanted a change but didn’t know what to do. From being in the middle of my kids…one a college student away from home, and the other in elementary school (talk about change right)!

But it turned out to be a great learning experience and continues to be.

So now I say make a change! Disrupt your life! Yea it’s scary but it will help you learn to live happy and more appreciative.

Are you ready? Just do it! Need help? Let’s connect!

Cheers!

The Ravishing Benefits of Going To The Beach…

Live near the beach? Grab your swimsuits and go enjoy the slow swooshing sound of the waves as they crash against the shore.

Anne Gherini shared in this INC article research about the benefits of going to the beach (as if we needed another reason …smile). From the points listed, here I share my top 3.

  • Listen to the crashing waves puts your brain at ease
  • Feel the sand between your toes as it stimulates your mind
  • Remove the Blues. Stare at the ocean and get to that relaxing meditative State.

In this world of mad rush, stress and strain, plan a trip or two to the beach for a quick getaway. Then bask in the Benefits to relax, unwind, reboot. Your Brain cells are sure to recharge pushing you further along the Skewed productivity chain.

Cheers!

The Power of U-Turns…

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Strive and Reach for what you can Achieve

My eyes caught the attention of an article titled “Giving up”. It quickly sparked my interest because I usually steer away from ever giving up. In my youth I did track, and for all those athletes out there, you know just how much effort it takes to get in shape. To stick to your goal. To become fit and ready for that race. As I advanced into maturity, the same held true for me. It became the very grain of my existence. During college, and career advancement, I never gave up. Now as a consultant and coach, I Mentor and encourage entrepreneurs, managers, and employees, to stick to their goals, dreams, and aspirations.

That article reminded me of another I had read about success and fear. Both fear and the desire to give up intertwine and cripple us, often fueling negative thoughts and actions. There are many individuals who throw away their lives becoming lethargic, stuck, wasted, straying away from their goals, get into trouble, end up self-imprisoned, or worse. Not to mention those dying at age 25, yet buried at 75.

I say burst that Bubble! It is delightful to strive and reach for what you can achieve!

The Power Of U-Turns

Enter the power of U-Turns. U-Turns remind us to get up, dust off, find a mentor or support system, and get back on track.

The writer in  the first article “Giving up” concluded with a twist. He suggested being wise enough to know when to stop, refuel, and get back on track. So make that U-Turn today. Shake off that fear. Shake off the very thought of giving up…and as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. Apply it to yourself. Be your change today.

Need help? Let’s connect.

Cheers!

Career: When The Recruiter Calls… 7 Tips How To Evaluate…

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Success is where preparation meets opportunity. ~Bobby Unser

Align yourself with the right people. Be visible. Observe. Show up. Then you will be able to see and be seen. These simple insights will help propel you in the direction of recruiters on the hunt…and when they call, sure you will ponder if the opportunity is right.

If you have been with a company for three years or more, the decision may be easier especially if you are not seeing the light. But what if you have said ‘yes’ to another opportunity and have been on the job for less than a year, busy settling in, then a recruiter calls, how do you know if you should jump ship?

Recognizing The Right Opportunity

Here are a few 7 Questions to ask on how to evaluate an offer in order to make the right decision.

  1. Does the job fit into your long-term career goal?
  2. Consider the industry as well as the health of the company. Are they experiencing financial difficulties?
  3. Is the job high stressed with little or no work/life balance?
  4. Is the commute long and will make you miserable? Will it deplete your time, energy and resources?
  5. Does it involve travel? Often career seekers are happy at the thought of travel but will it be a weekly requirement? Will you have to be away from family?
  6. What about Benefits and Perks? Consider the options provided such as medical, 401K plan, pension plan, personal time off, tuition reimbursement and such?
  7. What about salary? Often job seekers are easily lured by higher salary but is there a plan for timely increases?

In summary, burst the Bubble. Know where you want to go. When you see the opportunity, you will recognize it. For example, getting a college degree must be done through knowing where you want to go and what you want to do. Once that’s done, you will be able to take the step to find the right opportunity. You can be assured that provided you made the right preparations, when you see it you will know it.

So don’t be Abrupt, evaluate well because at the end of the day, if you are not happy and hate getting up in the mornings to go to work, you’re sure to regret it.

Need help in making the decision or assessing an opportunity? Let’s connect.

Cheers!

It’s Time To Make That Move…

You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. ~Tagore

Career: The 7 Signs That Tells You When To Look For New Opportunities…

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We have all been there. Times when we feel we are at a crossroad and don’t know whether to stay with the company, or whether to go. It’s not an easy road. Certainly a time for deep reflection and analysis. But it can be done using helpful strategies.

7 Signs That Tells You When To Look for New Opportunities

Extracted from theMuse, here are my top 7 WHENs that you can use to know when it’s time to move on.

  1. When you are unhappy most of the day. What’s the point of being unhappy doing what you do?
  2. When the only way you can move up is when your boss retires. Oh well, need I say more?
  3. When you get passed over for a promotion more than once
  4. When your company is cutting back or your industry is shrinking. Astonished? Commonsense really…extinction is at hand. Be alert. Keep your eyes open.
  5. When the skills you have been hired to use for the job aren’t a fit
  6. When the environment is toxic and the outcomes are meaningless
  7. When you believe that you’re meant for bigger and better things

There you have it. The top signs that tells you when it’s time to move on. Do any of the 7 resonate? Can you suggest other signs? Do Share. We would love to hear.

Need help to make that change? Get the book Ditch It Switch It or better yet, Lets connect.

Cheers!

The Grass Is Greener…

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The Grass is Greener when you read

Rivulet

Planning To Take Vacation This Year? 35 Percent Don’t. Here’s Why…

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Hawaii, Paris, Caribbean, Central America, Vegas, or a Simple Staycation. It’s amazing what a little break can do to our mental capacity. From the planning, organizing and more, all exude times of exhilaration, relaxation and joy!

Yet…The Society of Human Resources Associates (SHRM) shared that over 35 percent of Americans don’t plan on taking all their vacation days this year. A potential year of the Cranks in the making? Here are the reasons cited:

  • 43% Saving time for something later
  • 21% Too much work
  • 15% Don’t have enough money
  • 9% Feel guilty
  • 9% Other reasons
  • 3% Discouraged by their boss

In light of the more transient workforce, employers are trying various options to attract quality applicants. Such measures include a combined databank of employee time off which includes up to 4 weeks off on date of hire. Naturally, employees are ecstatic of this change and proves it’s a great methodology for recruitment. However, this databank represents a combination of paid time off including sick and vacation.

Paid Time Off

Do you plan on taking your vacation this year? If so, great! If not, why not? Does your reason fall into any of the above? Something to think about.

Need help with your workforce plans? Lets connect!

Cheers!

What You Need To Do To Achieve Success…

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Set your Goals High and Don’t Stop until you Get There

Richard Byerley was ‘officially’ the oldest person to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro. Byerley reached the summit in October 2010 at the ripe old age of 84 years and 71 days. However, his record was surpassed by Martin Kafer (85) and his wife Esther (84) in October 2012 (Kilimanjaro Guide).

Not to be outdone, the oldest woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m; 19,340 ft) Angela Vorobeva, reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, at age 86 years 267 days, on 29 October 2015 (Guinness book of records).

Naturally, these examples of goal achievement is no small feat. What of athletes, professionals, politicians, and more? We all have goals. But what really are they? Are goals just a wish or a figment of our imagination of some ideal place that we want to be in the future? Think carefully. A goal is not a simple wish that you had a better car, a bigger house, a better job, a more profitable business, or going on a great vacation. Though it may begin with those thoughts, they are way too Vague. Goals are so much more. Achieving your goal starts with understanding where you want to be and how you intend to get there.

A goal is defined as the object of a person’s ambition or effort, an aim or desired result.

Simply put, a goal is something that you are trying to do or achieve, not something that you bury. Now that we know what goals are, let’s consider why we should set them? Simply because they give our life a sense of direction. In order to achieve our goals we must take action. We must break it down into steps to achieve. If it is for your business, what business do you want to be engaged in? How much should you be earning per day to get to your goal to become profitable? Your goals must be concrete and clear. It is very important to be clear. Spend time  making sure your goal is clear. Enlist the help of a coach if you need help.

Create A Plan

The first step to achieving your goals is to have a plan. All runners know that each race has starting blocks and a finish line. They know exactly how long the distance is and how much time it will take them to get there. They have also mapped out what they will do at each stage along the way to accomplish their goal. It’s a step by step calculated plan to succeed.To achieve your goals, start with a plan.

Write Down Your Goal

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Take the time to think about the goals you want to achieve. Then write down your goal. Commit to them in writing. Writing down your goal is the first step to achieving it. It creates a contract with yourself to make your goals come true.

Don’t worry if the goal will take time. If you plan for it, you can do it. Don’t be afraid to dream big! Dream the impossible!

Goals Must Reflect your Values

Your goals must reflect your highest values. If you don’t believe in something, then you won’t do it. Take a moment and think about where you want your life to be, professionally and personally. See yourself doing what you dream. Make this a strong mental picture

Create a Map for Success

Next, create a map for your own destiny. By setting goals, you are acting on your life, rather than simply reacting. Make the goals Big and compelling! Something that will stretch you that when you achieve it, you feel completely satisfied. Heck, you will even motivate others!

Break into Measurable Parts

The next step in setting goals is to break it down into manageable, measurable parts. Let’s say you set a goal to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The first thing you would do is break the goal of the trek down into smaller steps. Find out things like… where is it? How high is it? How do I get there? What is the best time of the year to climb? What guide company should I book with? How can I prepare mentally, physically, financially? And the list goes on.

Once you do your research, you will find that each small accomplishment will lead you closer to your goal. Once you have done all your preparations and you find yourself in the middle of the trek, exhausted and overwhelmed, this step-by-step thinking will keep you on course and help you reach your goal.

Create A Deadline

Assign a realistic deadline to each component of your goal, and write the deadline in your smart phone’s calendar, or whatever instrument you use. Tell someone you trust about your goal and deadline. Enlist a team if you think it will motivate you more. Bestowed, doing so will further solidify your commitment.

Review Them Daily

Once that is done, you must review them daily. Look at them often so it stays on top of your mind. Don’t worry about not making all your deadlines. If you miss a deadline, set another. Keep setting deadlines until you complete it.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Keep a positive attitude in order to make your dreams a reality.

So there you have it. Now go, create your plan. Already started? Review to make sure you’re on target to be successful.

Need help? Let’s connect.

Cheers!

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