dreams – Page 14 – Success Strategies

Take The Leap. Go Do What You Have Always Wanted To Do…

I went to the grocery store that’s been in the same locale for more than 10 years. As I stepped in, the Traditional Fragrance of the familiar faces was missing. Confused, I inquired, where are they? I was told that the owners sold the business and had moved to a different location for a bigger and better venture.

I felt cheated. Immediately I decided I’d go find them for… how could they do that to ‘me’?!

Then I started thinking about my own passion. Daily I encourage individuals to take the leap…, go do what you have always wanted to do. Yet here I was–feeling cheated. How dare me?

Has that ever happened to you? We love the familiar. The thing that so Harmonizes and makes us comfortable. Safe. Tranquil. At peace. When it’s gone, we feel a hollow in our life…in our soul. I reflect on the book “Who Moved My Cheese”, which became famous because of its simplicity yet profound impact. The late Spencer Johnson told the story about the Change that takes place in a maze with amusing characters as they searched for cheese. It’s metaphoric delight draws us in as we identify with the characters. Those of us who sniff, scurry, hem, and haw at the sight of change.

Today, I return to my usual self, I am thrilled that the management of that Grocery Store decided to move on. They have gone to achieve their dream. They had taken the bold step to higher heights.

Is there someone you’re blocking from achieving his/her goals? How about you? What’s your own plan for the next 3-5 years? How will you get there? Step aside and allow yourself, family, friend, or foe …(yikes!), to achieve what you/they have always wanted.

Afraid? Let’s connect!

Cheers!

Recognizing Millennial Change-Makers. The Difference They Make…

Always an absolute pleasure to serve as chief Judge and be a part of the Leadership team that propels the Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Change-maker Awards which recognizes young Caribbean-American talent and creates inter-generational dialogue between professionals. This event is held annually at the Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC.

The energy this year spells promises of Great things to come among youth leaders. In the words of a stalwart awardee “find the grit to unbox yourself.“

Goals: Accept No Excuses…

There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in something you do it when it is convenient. When you are committed, you accept no excuses… only results. ~Kenneth Blanchard

Discover the Benefits of Traveling: 5 Reasons to Embrace Adventure

To travel is to live

I was addicted to work. Call it a workaholic or whatever. I worked in the global pharmaceutical industry for a decade and more where I traveled extensively throughout the world. Travel included commutes across Central, Latin America and the Caribbean. Those areas that I did not travel, I organized and sent teams to sales conventions. When I traveled, I would go into the countries on the first flight. Attended meetings for a few days to a week, then left on the last or first flight out. The goal was to be back in the office the next day. Whew!

The Travel Bug

As Palin coined, once the travel bug bites, there’s no known antidote. So now there’s the tug at the heart that says hey–it’s time to go!

Once the travel bug bites, there’s no known antidote. ~Michael Palin

So yes… I have now decided to step out, travel to all these countries again–but this time for pleasure.

Benefits Of Travel

So what can traveling do for you? Are there benefits? Here I share 5 reasons:

Traveling helps us learn and experience different cultures.
It helps to expand our view of how other people live.
It opens our minds to different food.
It allows us to expand our horizon.
It’s uncomfortable. I’m talking delayed flights, lost luggage and more. This often comes with frustration, discomfort and more. But that’s what comes with travel. But once you arrive at your destination, you gain the exhilarating discoveries, joys and comfort!

Today I urge you to make the decision. Follow your dreams. Travel–and while you’re at it, plan other goals. It’s totally exciting!

Cheers!

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Take Time For You…

You’re the only you you’ve got

A member of the writers group and a university administrator complained of a tummy ache, and went to urgent care. She was then rushed to the emergency room. She died of a heart attack by morning.

Rest. Exercise. Smile Often

When the going gets tough, Do the best you can. Breathe. Don’t sweat it. Just take it easy on the job, studies or in relationships. Rest. Exercise. Smile often. Life’s too short.

Forget those who attempt to discourage. Some people are there just to test you. Don’t give the enemy a foot into your life.

Keep going. Take care of you.

Cheers!

Self-Care: The 4 Attributes…

Take care of you. A member of the writers group and a university administrator complained of a tummy ache, went to urgent care, then rushed to ER. She died of a heart attack by morning.

Take Care of You

Do your best. Breathe. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just take it easy at work, school, home. Here are four (4) key attributes to sustain you:

Diet. Eat well
Exercise. It is beneficial to your life
Rest. It’s not for the lazy
Think Pure Thoughts

Reflections

So reflect on these four (4) attributes and make an effort to focus on those areas that you need to. Then make it a habit to smile often for it goes deep into your soul. It releases positive vibes. Forget haters. Some people are there just to test you. Don’t give the enemy a foot into your being because life’s too short to dwell on the bad.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

Just Going With The Flow?

Stuck. Like an amoeba your life takes the shape of whatever comes your way. No planning. No forward thinking. Just there. Staring; hoping; going with the flow.

There’s a friend of mine who always says ” ahhh life’. It’s her response to the issues that comes her way. The issues that she figures there is nothing she can do about them. With that kind of thinking, those of us who are like her will simply live by taking whatever comes our way.

Life’s Deeper Meaning

Like my friend, are you at that point where you take whatever comes your way? Is that life? Most certainly not. Life is more than that. To adapt or to conform is still just simply taking whatever comes your way. Be confident. Know that Life has a deeper meaning.

It is my belief that nothing happens unless we Act. Unless we make it happen. As long as there is life, there’s hope. Unless we do something and take action, our dreams will remain just that…dreams. Nothing will come through.

So today if you are in a state of apathy, wake up. Do something. Even when you don’t feel like moving, push it. Go after your goals, dreams and aspirations. Who knows…when you move you might just get lucky and achieve great things. Just do it.

Need help? Let’s connect.

Cheers!

Dream….

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible. ~T.E. Lawrence

7 Books Every Writer Should Read…

Readers make writers and writers make readers
~ Carl McKever

Writers write for many different reasons. Never Meaningless, the reasons are specific to each writer. Naturally writing for ordinary work as in preparing policies, reports, or memos differs from the writing writers do, which often is for their own satisfaction. Some writers write poetry. Some write short stories that ignite passion, joy, or pleasure as in fiction writers. Others write non-fiction sharing their own true stories, those of a loved one, or some about topics they care about as in Success. Whatever your reason for writing it makes sense to read a lot in order to write with finesse that satisfies yourself or your audience.

7 Books To Strengthen Writing

Here are 7 books that will help to strengthen your craft:

Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr.
Working People Talk About What They do All Day by Studs Terkel
How Fiction Works by James Wood
The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
Kill All Your Darlings by Luc Sante
On Writing by Stephen King
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield

Happy Reading!

Cheers!

Be Your True Authentic Self…

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment. ~Waldo Emerson

Oprah Quits 60 Minutes hmm…why? The INC article captured my attention. Interest sparked because of the hundreds job hunting who consistently ask what aspect of their education and experiences they should omit from their resumes, or when completing job applications on websites. This question often comes from individuals who are looked at as ‘overqualified’.

Overqualified refers to having qualifications that exceed the requirements of a particular job

Job Search Caution

Do exercise caution when accepting jobs that fall below your experience level. So for example, if you are a Senior Marketing Manager in transition, be careful of accepting positions at a mid-junior level. The challenge… it can compromise your ability to get the right job that you are looking for. Similarly, if you have a degree that may not be applicable to a job that you are applying for, good resume writers will tell you to omit it (for now). However, how sad is that? You spent years studying as well as paid a vast amount of money to acquire your education, only for it to be shelved.

On the other hand, there may be circumstances that you cannot help which causes you to accept whatever opportunities come your way. But let it not be for long. Keep looking. Accept the opportunity and continue your search in order for you to get back to your appropriate level in good time.

Career Change?

If however, your plan is to change careers… due to your own personal situation such as being a new mom, furthering your education, or you just don’t want the responsibilities of a manager anymore, your choice may very well be that you want to work at a lower level. In such cases …it’s all good. However, if you are trying to get back to your senior level, don’t wait too long. Hiring managers will be confused about the reason you are working at the lower level. It may compromise how you are perceived.

Conforming To Expectations

Naturally, some organizations wish to change you to conform to their expectations. You are expected to fit into a ‘box’ built by the organization. This was the case discussed in the article about Oprah. By any means, working with 60 Minutes would be a great opportunity… even for Oprah. But they were asking her to reduce herself from being who she was at heart. After many attempts to conform, she gave up. She walked away from the opportunity. Her decision? To stick to who she was.

The Moral Of This Quest

You too can do the same. The lucky organization that hires you will benefit from your critical thinking and other skills that you are sure to bring to the job if you work hard.

The Moral of this quest… when you are in need and can’t do any better, you may decide that you “gotta do what you’ve gotta do“. Oprah is a billionaire …and you are barely getting by. But the lesson here is to strive to be your one true authentic self.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

Brian Tracy’s 7 Steps To Success…

Would you like a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.” ~ Thomas J. Watson

Finding Purpose On The Hill…

Reflections On the Hill. Years ago I did my research and published Book On Success Strategies of Leaders to help those rising stars find their way. Since then I became involved in the Institute of Caribbean Studies work in Washington DC. I have been on Capitol Hill, the White House, Senate and serve as Judge for the Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Award. All this because I believed in a cause.

Today, I implore you to go after your goals, dreams and aspirations. Do whatever you want. With hard work and dedication it will come through.