goals – Page 49 – Success Strategies

What Bad Things Are You Grateful For In Your Life?

What bad things are you grateful for in your life? This question was asked and I thought it was rather interesting. How many of us can express Gratitude for the bad things that has happened to us? Certainly not an easy feat.

Here I share my response.

I worked long and hard in my job. One day ‘back in the day’, I had a disagreement with my boss when I asked for a raise. At the time though I had several diplomas and certifications, he told me I needed a degree. I was from a family with little means, but I vowed that no one would ever use that as an excuse again.

Today I have a BSc. Management, Masters Health Administration, Masters Human Resource Management, and Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. #noexcuses.

So that’s me. How about you? What bad things are you grateful for in your life? Come on, encourage someone today. It can’t be that Ghoulish…do share.

Cheers!

What Are You Afraid to Do?

Sometimes you have to step out to do the things you have always wanted to do.

I love watching HGTVs Fixer Upper! Oh the transformations! Now we are sad to hear that come next year this husband and wife team will no longer be on the series. They decided to move on to something new and exciting!

In the same way, artists in the entertainment industry have over time made the decision to step out. To forget the Fluff. To move on. Names such as Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and more, come to mind.

Making decisions to change, to do something new is always scary. But if we never step out into the unknown to do what we Prefer, we will never know the level of success we can attain. And oh…if we fail…at least we would have experienced something new, something different. Oh that we’ll be braver next time!

What are you afraid to do? Challenge yourself …even when you’re afraid.

Cheers!

21: Orange Cautions The Right Of Passage…

Growing up in the Caribbean, I was never as exposed to the flair of turning 21. In the United States it’s like a right of passage. On campus students receive bottles of liquor to celebrate as if to say ”I’ve made it! I’m grown! I’m finally 21!”

Years ago, an intern that was working with my organization so happened to have turned 21 while on the job. For him it was amazing! He drank the night away! Then to make sure he was still perceived as “responsible”, he slept the rest of the hours in the parking lot to be able to report on time at 8:00 am!

Caution

But be careful. Orange means caution. How many young adults have reached the age and realized it’s just a number? Oh yes they are now able to go to a night club without being barred from entering. Yes, they are now officially considered an adult! Yes they are able to get that driver’s license that reflects adulthood! Yes they’re able to this, or that.

But be cautious lest these things distract from your goal. Age is just a number. Make sure the things that you do… not distract from what’s important in the long-term.

The same goes for any celebration such as that bachelor/bachelorette party when getting married. It’s as though we’re saying we are giving up the past and essentially ‘freedom’. Therefore men and women rush out the night, or the week before, for one last brouhaha!

Caution. Pause, reflect. Will it be worth your long-term goals if things go awry? What do you Prefer?

Something to think about.

Cheers!

What Does It Take To Be A Good Writer?

Don’t Waste Time Trying to Please People. -Stephen King.

Wanting to do their best work, new writers are naturally anxious. They ask questions. They probe. They Gorge. They sweat. It’s hoped they sweat while writing and not about how to start. Stephen King in his memoir titled “On Writing” stressed don’t waste time trying to please people. Indeed this is applicable in many situations as individuals attempt to develop their own Identity.

In a public authors forum, the question was asked “What does it take to be a good writer?” Writers chimed in. Here I share a few of their responses.

Writers…On Writing

Read a lot. Write, write a lot
Patience and Perseverance
Finding the connection between your soul and your writing hand. It will require a number of disciplines like grammar, voice, tense and genre. But the key is opening your spirit to the process. Make your writing not a craft, but an empowered purpose in your life.
An empathetic love of both stories and storytelling
To keep writing
Write something. Publish it. Learn from mistakes. Grow
A unique voice telling an untold story that everyone wants to hear
Passion, and drive, as well as supportive people in your life
Persistence, then creativity, then literacy, finally intelligence
Vision, creativity, persistence, stubbornness, patience, a thick skin
Natural ability
Practice, practice, practice, and more practice
Honesty, passion, and courage
A moment alone. A moment alone is where it starts
Willingness to receive critical feedback
Time, focus, imagination
Personal passion, self-confidence, resilience to get it done, and never give up
A good editor
Tenacity
Life experiences and a love for it. Put your heart and soul in it
The ‘write’ attitude
Learn, then learn more. Accept first that you always need to grow
Finish even when you hate it. Even when you don’t want to. Even when you’re uninspired.

Rather Interesting thoughts from authors. Can you add any? Is there any that you would omit? Do share.

Want to plan your writing goals? Join us as we retreat.

Cheers!

Chances: Try. Don’t Miss ‘em

Identity

How The Mind of an Entrepreneur Differs From That Of A Manager…

There’s a difference between the way in which an entrepreneur thinks and how a Manager thinks. How do they differ? The mind of a manager stays on the job mainly for the duration of his/her time at work…the time they are on the job. Though they may ‘carry home the work’, that’s done mainly out of fear-to please his/her boss… to do the Cacophony of things assigned.

On the other hand, the mind of an entrepreneur remains focused on entrepreneurship. Even while asleep the Entrepreneur is strategizing. They plan, think, strategize the next steps to boost the growth of their business.

As a manager, if you find yourself doing this, go start your own business. You’re an entrepreneur.

Need help? Let’s connect!

Cheers!

I Like! I Like! I Like ….

Assumptions close doors. Intrigue opens them – Sam Owen

As I look over the circus of things that I like, I find that they Enlighten and intrigue. I realize that though I enjoy them and they bring me satisfaction, I find myself not doing them as much as I Expect, and in some cases at all. For over two decades I have been caught up in work, work, work. So this prompt helped me pull away and ponder the things I once enjoyed, or get to enjoy on rare occasions.

But even as I finalize and Release the list, I realize that life’s not promised. So I intend to start doing the things I like now, and stop leaving them for …one day soon.

That said, the things I like are:

People watch
Explore the world
Simple things
Enjoy a good laugh
Acting | Participating in drama presentations
Wearing a smile
See people mentored achieve their best potential
Watch movies
Write, ponder, reflect
Decorate the house
Go shopping
Watch HGTV | Travel channel
Learn new things
Read
Cook
Enjoy the company of my two young adult kids
Dream of Venice | Alaska
People watch in downtown Disney, Washington DC Parks
Watch the waves by the beach
Nature – stare at birds, squirrels, and circus of trees
Christmas Lights
Look out at the horizon from a hill or mountain
Capturing candid photos (new experience)
Finding a new route after getting lost in a new place (yikes!)
Quiet time
Solving an Aged mystery or a problem
New baby hugs
Listening to that Still Small Voice Of Faith

Share any of the things listed? Can you add any?

Cheers!

Celebrate Achiever, Celebrate in 13 Ways

The most beautiful things are not associated with money; they are memories and moments. If you don’t celebrate those, they can pass you by. – Alek Wek

I love challenges. I set goals, and do everything to accomplish them. Then when I do, I move on to the next goal. As the head of Head of Human Resources for many years, I relentlessly celebrated the achievement of others on the job, but I never stopped to celebrate my own personal achievements. In recent years I came to value the importance of celebrating life’s triumphs. I guess it comes with maturity. There is something gratifying to it. Besides, it leaves a lasting legacy on those close to me.

Oh how to celebrate? The question was asked and many Bravely Expressed and jumped in. But I found Sarah Starrs list of ways to celebrate insightful. Here I share my top favs!

13 Ideas To Celebrate Achievements:

Make a booking at a restaurant you’ve always wanted to eat at.
Invite all of your friends over for a pot luck and before you sit down to eat, go around and ask everyone to brag about something (big or small) that they’ve achieved recently.
Spend an entire day doing whatever you find most relaxing.
Dance! Honouring our emotions through movement is powerful.
Write a list of everything you learned from this experience.
Start success journal.
Spread the love: offer to help someone who is chasing a similar dream.
Write a blog post outlining how you achieved your goal.
Take a selfie to memorialize the big moment. Share on Instagram
Get dressed up… just because.
Have a staycation and spend some time exploring and enjoying all that your city has to offer.
Write a letter of gratitude to someone who helped you get there.
Take a few long, deep breaths and ask yourself: what does celebrating look and feel like to you?

Need help setting Goals? A mentor or coach can help. You’d be wise to get started and not forget to celebrate small and big wins.

Cheers!

To Degree Or Not To Degree?…

Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Dave Thomas, Rachael Ray. What do these personalities have in common? Besides being entrepreneurs, they all have/had no formal Degree, yet became successful. But does that mean that the rest of us should too? And if we do, will we have the same luck to make millions and become rich and famous? Rather Risky.

Just Get A Job!

There are many arguments for individuals to forget about going to college because it’s too expensive. Parents now ponder whether the investment involved in sending their high school graduate to college is worth the cost. “Just teach yourself”, is the common saying. There are many YouTube videos, podcasts that can be listened to, social media, and other networking groups, which people claim can be used to learn while eliminating the expense of going to college. Those who argue against obtaining a college education claim that students graduate High School and ‘Just Get a Job’. But the question many ponder—is college education worth the cost?

Sure it is! Here are a few thoughts to on how to manage the tight rope of college expenses and student loans.

I encourage students enrolling in college to do what they are passionate about. For example, Steve Jobs when he dropped out of college, he then decided to sit in the classes that he was passionate about. Who said that he could not have done that before?
Borrow only what you need. Often students borrow more than the amount needed, then waste the excess funds on things that do not contribute to education, or on things that they can do without.
Search for scholarships and apply for financial aid. These require some work but are resources that do not need to be repaid. It is often over-looked or individuals do not bother to apply, or write the needed essays to qualify.
Use time wisely to avoid repeat. Failing courses comes at additional costs to do the same course a second time.
Once your course of study is done, search for jobs in the same or related field to get the maximum return on the dollar invested in the education you attained. This is where it is often alluded to that a lot of persons work in jobs where they are under-employed. This happens for example in a case where a Journalism graduate work in sales in a retail store that pays salaries less than they are qualified to receive.

So yes, college is worth it! There is a benefit to both individuals and society overall. Besides enhancing your decision-making and critical thinking skills, individuals with college degrees earn more than those without. So be Loyal, stick with it.

Having doubts about your ability? A coach or mentor, can help. Let’s connect.

Cheers!

Captiva’s Breathtaking Getaway…

Longing for a Quick Getaway? The Beauty and Serenity of Captiva Island, Florida provides just that. As you drive along the coastline you start to feel the Stress of the daily grind slip away.

Don’t Succumb. Take a Break from your busy schedule and join us at this Exciting Retreat at the South Seas Island Resort, on November 3rd, and let your 2018 Goals Ascend.

Cheers!

Inspiration’s Fraud

I love movies! They inspire! Dependent on what we do and the types we like, we are inspired to do great things; to get in touch with our innermost feelings; to achieve, to believe, and so much more!

But we have to be careful.

I love the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness”. It shared the struggle of trying to achieve a goal. After going through many heartaches, hiccups, pain, loss, disappointment, and more, the main character – Will Smith’s dream came through.

I also like the movie Joy. This movie also shared story of struggles, challenges, and triumph in the end.

Most if not all of us have gone through our very own trials. Like music, movies that inspire, helps. But we have to be careful to walk away with the right message. Some make us cry, feel depressed, sad, and down. To those I ask why whallow in self-pity? That’s such a Fraud.

Watch the movies that give you ideas how to overcome challenges. How to better your best. Fill your mind with good things that will encourage you to achieve your dreams, goals, and aspirations.

Cheers!

Attrition’s Rat Race: Fact or Fiction?

Attrition is Obsolete! Often so many still considered this as a mark of the good. Even me! Why?….

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) shared an article by Daniel Sonsino titled Attrition is Obsolete. In it he discussed the very necessary topic of attrition. Often so many still consider this as a mark of the good. Even me! Why? Because in my capacity as head of Human Resources for a major international pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, boasted of less than 5 percent turnover for years! Wow! What an achievement!

Not so today. Workers in today’s workforce are the least bit Tame. They are restless and not Cloaked as Sinsono argued in the following points:

People are changing jobs more frequently. staying with a job from lifetime, then over 4 years, to now less than 3 years.
Millennials are restless. Over 60 percent are open to new job opportunities
Employment relationships are changing. 40 percent of the U.S. workforce is made up of continent workers including temps, self-employed, and part-timers
Talent is in charge. People have more career options and leverage.

Reducing Attrition: What to do?

Reducing attrition rates is like keeping ice solid in the hot sun…it’s futile. People leave for reasons including spouse’s new job, family care-giving responsibilities, or lower cost of living.

Sonsino suggested that employers focus on:

Accepting that you will not retain all your employees
Focus your efforts on the employees who are most important to retain (i.e. those with the knowledge, skills and abilities critical to your business).
Build an alumni network so you can keep track of those who leave. Attract them back when the time is right.
Revise HR policies that make it harder for former workers to return. Welcome back boomerang employees with potentially continued vacation, stock options etc.
Establish shared accountability. Partner with other executives and when employees leave, counter with an offer letter good for up to 2 years in the future.
Devise a workforce composition strategy. Devise programs to attract to full-time status those contingent workers critical to your business. In exchange, also do the reverse. Move some full-time workers, to contingent worker status.

Does the above bring an Exceptional level of curiosity and discomfort to your business? Indeed it is cause for concern. If you need help with shifting up your workforce, consider an external partner. It will be worth it.

Cheers!