A Pretty Good Day!

Despite the wet cold weather today, my day went pretty smoothly.

I credit this to my new habit set, and it seems to be working.

1: I watched only 1 t.v. show and 1 movie last night(The Amazing race-and-Ravenous). I usually watch alot more.

2: I kept the phone conversation with my girlfriend to a min, so i got some decent sleep and was able to get up early to get to work without stress.

3: Got up early enough to get my breakfast casually without rushing.

4: Well rested and fed, i breezed thru my day unstressed and un-interrupted. Finishing 85% of what i needed done, i was able to leave on time and proud of the work i accomplished.

5: Went to the library on time to make my appointment,and was able to make an appointment for tomm-thus saving me stress of worrying if i would get a computer.

Except for the weather(which is out of my hands anyway), it was a great day.

By having a plan and sticking to it, i felt that i maximized my time and really got stuff done.

Premium planning+positive action=primo results! 🙂

Now get out there and kick some a$$!

Always have a Plan B.

Multiple Streams of Income.

Ask yourself, “Am i prepared in case i somehow lose my j.o.b.*? What about my spouse? “.

Life can get crazy when it comes to this issue.

Having lived thru my fare share of “oh sh*t-what now?” moments, i can speak to the need for some type of backup plan. A “plan B”, if you will.

Not too long ago, a local beef plant sold some “tainted” meat and had to conduct a recall. This hit the company hard, and corporate decided to close its doors.

Interviewing a woman as other employess came and went to say their goodbyes, she told of how she was worried about her health care. And that she now had to find a new job and start all over.

OUCH.

Many of us, myself included get stuck in our jobs. We get bogged down in the day to day hustle and get into our “comfort zone”.

But how comfortable is it, if you can lose your job at a moments notice-even if it is something out of your hands or had no control over?

Stories like these are popping up all over America. It is especially prudent nowadays to have a backup plan. Something. Anything.

It could be just having some savings in case of emergency. Or just keeping abreast of your job market for openings and opportunities.

I just recently got a 2nd job to help finance my current goals.  Here are some of the things i did to make it happen in a timely manner.

1: Always have your resume updated, and printed. You never know when a golden oppurtunity make arise. 10 copies is a good start.

2: Have your resume backed up on a disk, and stored in a safe place.

3: Have your interview clothes clean and pressed. It would be bad to get a quick interview,only to have to run to the cleaners and have them delay you.

4: Stay on top of your desired field. An ear to the ground type of thing. If they post for your dream job, will you be ready?

5: Have your interview skills up to par. Practice answering standard questions with a friend or relative.

6: Keep your resume language engaging. Be specific and honest. If you mangaged a staff of 100 employees, say so. Don’t just say you were a manager.

7: Have an Emergency Fund. This is priceless. Always have one. 1 month – 3 months savings for important expenses. Rent, housefood, carfare & utilities. 3 months is better. 6 months is best, but have something for that rainy day.

These are a good start. Keep these in minds as you search for your next job. Hopefully you are starting your own business, or creating some other income stream, but at least you won’t get caught in your bosses crosshairs unprepared.

Now get out there and kick some a$$!

 

*J.O.B. = Just over Broke. 🙂

Never take “NO” for an answer!

Scene: Checking out book and video from local library.

Players: Inspired Mind & Ms. Library clerk.

Inspired Mind: Hi, how are you?

 Library clerk: Fine.(takes my materials, scans my card and makes a face)                        

LC: You have an outstanding balance.

I M:  Yes, i know. (smiling because i am well under my limit)

LC: Well, you have to put something on your balance. You’ve had this balance for sometime now.

IM:  I’m under the limit. I come here everyday. (she knows this) What can i give you? .50 cents?

LC: 2 or 3 dollars..

IM: What?!

LC: Sir, if there is a problem, you can go talk to my supervisor (giving me that “i know she will back me up” look)

IM: Well, i don’t have that…

LC: (pulls my materials across desk so i can’t take them back) Well, sorry-you can’t rent these today.

IM: No?

LC: NO.

I walk away at this point, wanting to knock her teeth out..then i calm down, make my internet appointment and leave.

The next day…

I pick up the video and book off the shelf and walk over to another clerk i know-sitting right next to the same clerk from yest.

She smiles, scans my card, checks my stuff out-never even mentioning my balance-and wishes me a goodnight. I take my stuff and not so silently give yesterdays clerk the finger as i walk past <smile>.

THE LESSON: NEVER take NO for an answer.

Not until you have exhausted every option, and tried your best to obtain the materials or knowledge you need.

It is usually the ones with the least real power who seem to block our paths from time to time. Is it a power trip?  Are they on the rag* that day?

Or perhaps they are just not in the know of what could or should be done.

Don’t let that stop you. Go for yours. Exhaust all avenues, and walk away with you head held high knowing you did your best.

Now go out there and kick some a$$!

*Feel free to comment. It’s just an expression after all.  🙂 

Open Your Eyes

It’s always a good idea to keep your mind & eyes open. With life going by so fast, we sometimes don’t see what is right in front of us.

Literally.

We overlook our family, friends and golden opportunities. We get caught up in the moment. But, instead of it being a moment of intention, purpose and focus, it is usually more like a moment of hectic chaos and worry.

We truly need to slow down sometimes & look around. Smell the flowers. Hug our children or even just re-affirm our faith or goals.

Try and take a moment today & notice things and people. Even if it’s just on a lunch break, or the commute home. Let your mind think of the good things in your life. And how you can make them better. Think of your family and how you enrich their lives by being true to your own.

And last but not least. Really keep your eyes open. I’ve literally found hundreds of dollars in my daily travels. Yes-hundreds. Just by keeping a keen eye on what was in front of me.

Something to think about. We sometimes really do have what we need-right in front of us.

What’s stopping you?

That’s what my friends would always ask when i proposed a new project, business idea or just wanted to travel. It became a constant, nagging question. And i soon began to ask myself that same question time and again. Watching my friends & co-workers go on to their own success stories. I gave out plenty of advice, but had yet to heed it fo my own benefit.

 You see, i suffered  from analysis-paralysis. Or more commonly referred to as procrastination. I would try to think of every angle and shortcut to accomplish what i wanted. And more times than not, i would start with a great florish and then sputter and stall. Then of course, i would shelve the project, promising myself to come back to it. Since i am no longer a child with “all the time in the world”, this is a serious no-no. Especially in this day and age with everything and everyone zooming in fast forward. If you don’t act quickly and decisively with focus and deterimination, someone else will. And that will leave you sitting on the curb wondering “what happened?”.

Determinating what goals to pursue is one thing. Follow thru is  the next critical step,but so many of us stall out or don’t start at all. So you’ll  have to do some serious soul-searching and dig to find the root cause of what keeps you from reaching your full potential.

This was a hard step for me, because it forced me to really look at myself and my daily habits.  I  had to deterime how these habits impacted how i spent my time.

What i found kinda shocked me.

I found that my time was pretty well spent when it came to everyone else. But the 1 person “at the scene of the crime”, who got in my way the most?

Yep. Me.

Or more specifically, how i was spending my down time.

I was able to pinpoint specific behaviors that were detrimental to me and my goals.

                           1:watching way too much “junk” t.v.

                           2: staying up late on work nights

                           3: eating too much junk food

                           4: not exercising

Just the t.v. watching alone was killin’ me! After a long day of work, i was watching like 6 hours of t.v.! Not even counting the endless videos i rented from the library. And the mindless (bad)news, Maury/Springer/TMZ chatter. That’s 6 hours that could have been better spent on any number of things. Starting my poetry book. Drawing. Constructive reading. Dusting off 1 of my screenplays and actually doing some writing. Cooking a real meal. Actually relaxing and getting proper rest. All viable options i was blind to.

Armed with this information, i was able to plot positive change.

I recently read an excellent book by Timothy Ferriss called “The 4-Hour workweek”. In it, he recommends going an a “low infomation diet”. Little or no t.v., magazines, newspapers, etc. Stuff that just wastes time and don’t fill your mind with positivity.

Just what i needed!

So, i actually cut my viewing time, especially the local news/tabloid stuff.

WOW-what a difference.

With this change alone, i freed up enough time to persue this very goal-my very own blog.

Positive manifestation in action! And it feels soooo good because i planned it, took action, and made it happen. And i am getting positive feedback.

So ask yourself. Seriously. What’s stopping you? Opportunities for positive change are all around you. But you must keep an open mind. And be willing to make the neccessary changes.

” I can’t change the direction of the wind, but i can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean

Nuff said.

Now go out there and kick some a$$!

Goals.

Setting goals is an important step in manifesting a positive future. Whether it be in business or in relationships. However, many people fail to follow thru on their goals, or even set them at all. Why is this? Perhaps it is because of past experiences. Such as the tried and true “New Year’s Resolution”. “This year i will stop drinking” or “This year i will workout everyday and lose 25 pounds by the summer!”. Then, when they fall short or quit half way, they get discouraged and give up. Until the next new year, or unfortunate health crisis.

So, how do you set an obtainable goal, and see it thru to completion in a timely manner? I find that the first step i actually the hardest. Setting the goal itself. You would be suprised how many people do not even attempt to set goals for themselves in the important areas of their lives.

Your goal should be something worthwhile and can yield good results in the area you have chosen. Health? Wealth? Relationships? Your choice, but your goal should be something you can reach in a safe and sane manner. Breaking down your goal into smaller steps (sometimes called baby-steps) is key. This way, you are not overwhelmed and can monitor your progress without micro-managing yourself into oblivion.

Set realistic timetables for these goals as well. For example: if you have never driven a car before and are trying to get your license by the end of the week, you’re going to be sadly dissapointed. However, if you do your due diligence (i.e. homework), you can see how long the process usually takes and tweak it to fit your own timetable and needs. Just the small step of calling the DMV and having the info sent to you, can radically help because as the info is on its way, you can be doing another baby step. Perhaps you can take a lesson per day instead of once a week. Maybe even get lessons from a trusted relative or friend, which i did.

Get the idea? I hope this helps you as it helped me. I was able to get my lessons and license very quickly (within 1 month) by breaking it all down, and staying focused. More on this topic in the future. I hope i whetted your appetite for success!

Get out there, set some goals and kick some a$$!

Motivation

Wow. It’s amazing what you can learn just by watching a movie. Art imitating life, indeed.

I just re-watched “Stealth” featuring Jamie Foxx and Jessica Biel. I was suddenly struck by an insight that i have been using, and thought it was important enough to share. It features a scene in which 3 fighter pilots are studying a new aircraft. And they are studying in their own unique ways, but with one common theme-music! They were all rockin’ out to music as they worked. I suddenly took note of this because i find this to be a useful study  vehicle as well. And i also listen to music to help motivate myself or elevate my mood.

I feel everyone has a song or style of music that they listen to that really pumps them up. It could be anything from classical music to country, hip-hop to rock and roll.

Do you have such a song? One that really makes your toes tap, puts a spring in your step and makes you feel like you could take on the world? I bet that you do, but just did not think of it. Choose a song that gets you going. That puts a smile on your face, and improves your mood. Just like wearing certain clothes can make you feel more powerful, the right song can turn your whole day around.

We all need encouragement from time to time.  Whether it is in relationships, school or opening & maintaining a business. I find many things that motivate me, but music is really a simple, portable way to quickly make my day wherever i go.

 TODAY’S GOAL: Find what motivates you, no matter what others may think. If it is music, it could be the theme to “Rocky”, or it could be Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”. Puff Daddy’s “Victory” or maybe some Rob Zombie. Sit down before or after work and play your song. And this time, close your eyes and feel it. Now you have an “energizer” of your own. Now think about how more productive and happy you would feel if you filled you mp3 player with more of these type of songs!

Now go out there, and kick some a$$!