My Thoughts on Success and Life

Persistence Pays

2012-02-25T21:30:00.000-06:00

Persistence pays, yes, yes, yes it pays. Without persistence the world would not have Harry Potter stories today. The manuscript was rejected twenty-five times by publishers, but J.K Rowling kept on knocking on doors until one was open for her.

Persistence pays; if it does not, we would never have had global fast-food chains like KFC today. Colonel Sanders knocked on many doors; it was more than three hundred before someone believed that a chicken recipe could sell.

What about the famous Thomas Edison stories? He tried for five years and more than one thousands experiments to give us the electric light bulb.

What did these people have in common? They were persistent in pursuing their goals, their dreams. Successful people learn from their losses; they see them as a way to learn more about what they do, they don't give up, ever.

The above stories show us that persistence pays. So what is persistence? Perseverance is the dictionary definition of persistence; it is absolute and unwavering holding on to a course of action in spite of obstacles, ridicules, discouragement and difficulties. The process of being steadfast, tenacious, firm and committed to an action, until the desired result is achieved.

It is the ability to keep on holding on, believing the dream will come through even if all the people in the world are against you. It is never giving up on your dream even when your friends, parents and love ones do not believe in you.

The dream of a man will stand the test of time for it to be fulfilled. It will face many obstacles, ridicules and discouragement. It is the dreamer who will say no to all the obstacles. Someone said there is never a mountain anywhere, the one you see is the one you create for yourself. Circumstances cannot hold anyone in bondage; we are to master and rule over circumstances. Human beings are created to overcome obstacles in life, which is achievable through persistence. It is the fuel of winners, champions and successful people on earth.

Winston Churchill said, "if you are going through hell, don't stop." This is a good saying because on your way to achieve your dreams, you will pass through some situations that resemble hell, you must keep on moving forward until you reach your goal.

Joseph P. Kennedy said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." The persistence man is the strong man who will keep on going no matter what.

The reason why there are few people at the top is because they are the ones that did not give up in the face of opposition. It will surprise you to know that there are only 5% at the top. The rest of the 95% sit below the ladder and are all identical, they don't stand out when stacked up against each other; just like Coca-Cola bottles.

Don't allow the people that say no to your dreams and ideas to discourage you. If someone says no to you, go to the next person, and if the next one says no, keep on going until someone says yes. You better believe that someone, someday, will say yes.

The Hot Dog Business Man

2012-02-19T22:48:00.001-06:00

There was once a man who lived by the side of the road who decided to sell hot dogs. He put up signs on the highway telling everyone how good they were, he also stood on the side of the road and cried out to all that past by 'buy a hot dog, they are the best in town'.

The old man was hard of hearing so he had no radio - he had trouble with his eyes, so he read no newspapers and of course he didn't look at television. But he sold very good hot dogs.

As people bought his hot dogs he increased his meat and bun orders. He also bought a bigger stove to take care of all the extra business. With all the new business, he finally got his son to come and help him out with his booming business.

But then something happened, his son who had been well educated said . . . ' Father, haven't you been listening to the radio or reading the newspapers or watching television? There's a big recession happening right now. The current business situation is terrible in this country - we have problems with unemployment, high living costs, strikes, pollution, the influence of minorities and majorities, the rich, the poor, drugs, alcohol, capitalism and communism '.

Where upon his father thought, ' well my son's been well educated, he reads the papers, listens to the radio and watches television, so he ought to know '.

So his father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down all his advertising signs and no longer bothered to stand by the side of the road to promote and sell his hot dogs, . . . . and his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.

'You're right, son' the father said 'we certainly are in the middle of a recession'

10 Life Lessons From Your Dog

2012-02-13T20:47:00.002-06:00

1. Always live life to the fullest.

2. Always run to greet your love ones.

3. Always be loyal to your family.

4. Always take a nap when you feel like it.

5. Always let others know when they've invaded your territory.

6. Always drink lots of water on a hot day.

7. Always enjoy a brisk walk.

8. Always eat with delight and stop when you've had enough.

9. Always know your limits but remain curious.

10. Always keep digging when what you want is buried.

Things happen when you...

2012-01-10T12:49:00.000-06:00

My good friend Roy Harper had this to say about 'doing things now.' He shared with me how things happen when you decide to 'Do It Now.'

"I had been wanting to start exercising for years now, but I was unsure of where to start. I had not exercised in years and I knew that if I were to start now, it would be a very rough beginning. It would be more than just rough, I was not exactly an active person, and the thought of doing any type of strenuous activity just made me tired and out of breath.

For weeks I thought about how I was going to be able start exercising and working out. All different kinds of thoughts ran through my head. Should I lift weights? Should I run? Should I do both? Can I do both? Do I need a trainer? What about my diet?

I thought to myself ‘enough already!’, I was becoming frustrated by thinking about all of the different possibilities and what could go wrong. I finally just thought to myself why not just ‘Do it now’, and those three words changed my life forever. When I started thinking ‘Do it now’ and not ‘do it later’ or ‘I will never do that’, my life started to transform. I was no longer afraid of exercising or beginning something new. I felt as though the world was at my doorstep, and that I could achieve anything I wanted to. ‘Do it now’ became my personal mantra, my means for living and making it through the day. Repeating ‘Do it now’ to myself several times throughout the day, I began to learn the power of positive thinking and what effects that power could have on my life. I felt like a better person, a ‘better me’."

When you take action and apply the power of positive and encouraging thought, the possibilities of what could happen are truly endless. Using ‘Do it now’ as a personal mantra and repeating it to yourself throughout the day is one way to start harnessing a proactive and positive spirit.

Many people just sit and think about what could be, or what could happen, or what could possibly go wrong. Roy used to be one of those people, he also used to be one of those people who did not exercise. Until he started thinking ‘Do it now’ to himself, he in fact didn’t do a lot of things. But by being proactive and having a “get it done” mindset, his life completely changed for the better."

Things happen when you decide to Do It Now.

Same thing happened to me a few years ago when I wanted to quit smoking. I had been a smoker for more than forty years and I knew it was going to be hard to stop. It was going to be more than hard because I was a two pack a day smoker and I had never considered quitting before. Truth is, I never had the courage to even think about it, must less attempt it.

For months I considered 'how' I was going to quit smoking. I had all sorts of questions go through my mind. Should I use a patch? What about the gum? Would it be best to just taper off? Would I go into shock from not smoking? Could I really go all day without a cigarette? When should I quit?

Then one day that Do It Now thought hit me and I stopped, I stopped cold turkey. I immediately became a non smoker.

Things really will begin happening when you decide to just Do It Now.

Tom Boleware

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T08:19:00.001-06:00

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." --Edith Lovejoy Pierce

"Be always at War with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better person." --Benjamin Franklin

"Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits." --Author Unknown

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the Old Year leaves." --Bill Vaughan

"New Year's Day is every man's birthday." --Charles Lamb

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." --Oprah Winfrey

"Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account." --Oscar Wilde

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas." --Author Unknown

Happy New Year

The Value of Time

2011-11-25T17:42:00.000-06:00

To realize the value of ONE YEAR,

ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH,

ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK,

ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR,

ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE,

ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND,

ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND,

ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment you have.

40 Life Lessons

2011-10-30T13:06:00.000-05:00

40 Things that may take you a lifetime to learn.

1. That you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

2. That you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.

3. That no matter how much you care, some people just don’t care back.

4. That it can take you years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

5. That you can keep going long after you can’t.

6. That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

7. That a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is the one who needs the least.

8. That you don’t have to change friends if you understand that friends change.

9. That you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

10. That it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

11. That it takes you a long time to become the person you want to be.

12. That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

13. That your best friend and you can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

14. That you are responsible for what you do, no matter how you feel.

15. That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

16. That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

17. That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

18. That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

19. That no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

20. That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

21. That no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

22. That you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

23. That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

24. That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

25. That sometimes when you're angry you have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give you the right to be cruel.

26. That true friendship continues to grow.

27. That just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

28. That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

29. That you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

30. That it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.

31. That it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to forgive yourself.

32. That being kind is more important than being right.

33. That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

34. That the little things do matter.

35. That everybody is somebody.

36. That everything in life is not always fair.

37. That your happiness is up to you and no one else.

38. That if you don't ask for it, you won't get it.

39. That time really does heal all wounds.

40. That each day brings a new chance to start over.

The good thing about this list is, it's all pure wisdom.

The bad thing is, it may take you a lifetime to accept it.

25 Good Ole Farmer Sayings

2011-10-22T15:19:00.001-05:00

Some of the best advice in life comes from the Farmers.

Listed below are 25 Good Ole Farmer words of wisdom.

1. When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

2. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

3. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

4. Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance

5. Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

6. A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

7. Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

8. Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

9. Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

10. Do not corner something that would normally run from you.

11. It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

12. You cannot unsay a cruel word.

13. Every path has a few puddles.

14. The best sermons are lived, not preached.

15. Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

16. Don't judge folks by their relatives.

17. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

18. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

19. Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

20. Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

21. The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

22. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

23. Always drink upstream from the herd.

24. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

25. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

And there you have some of the best advice you will ever read.

Tom Boleware

25 Keyboard Shortcuts

2011-10-15T18:56:00.003-05:00

You can use shortcut keys to view and explore Web pages, and perform just about any function imaginable. Here is 25, but you can do a search for 'keyboard shortcuts' and find many more.

These computer shortcuts are certainly not new to many, but sometimes we need to be reminded more than we need to be informed. You may want to print the list out and place near the computer for quick reference. Or simply use number one to add to your favorites.

1. Add the current page to your favorites --- CTRL + D

2. Go to a new location ----CTRL + O

3. Go to Previous page---ALT + BACKSPACE

4. Display shortcut menu for a link---SHIFT + F10

5. Scroll toward the beginning of a document---UP ARROW

6. Scroll toward the end of a document---DOWN ARROW

7. Scroll toward the beginning of a document in larger increments---PAGE UP

8. Scroll toward the end of a document in larger increments---PAGE DOWN

9. Print the current page or active frame ---CTRL + P

10. Find on this page ---CTRL + F

11. Save the current page --- CTRL + S

12. Open the Search bar --- CTRL + E

13. Open a new window --- CTRL + N

14. Close the current window---CTRL + W

15. Open the Favorites bar --- CTRL + I

16. Open the History bar --- CTRL + H

17. Move to the beginning of a document ---HOME

18. Move to the end of a document ---END

19. Refresh the current Web page --F5

20. Stop downloading a page ---ESC

21. Zoom out ---ALT +MINUS

22. Zoom in ---ALT +PLUS

23. Activate a selected link---ENTER

24. Set printing options --- ALT +P

25. Display the last page to be printed --- ALT +END

Cell Phone Addiction

2011-09-06T12:47:00.001-05:00

It follows you everywhere. It’s there when you go to sleep, and is still there when you awake. It summons you at a moment’s notice, and you happily run to it when it calls. You don’t want to be without it. Ever. You must face the facts: you are co-dependent on your cell phone. It is joining the ranks of the traditional addictions of coffee, cigarettes, and drugs. Why are we drawn to it like a moth to a light? What is the attraction?

Not so long ago, we waited for information. Whether it was delivered to our door as the morning newspaper, or presented to us on the six o’clock news, there was a time allotted for us to learn what was happening in the world. But as cell phone technology became affordable for practically everyone, priorities have changed. We have transformed from a patient society into an instant society. We are no longer willing to wait for anything - we want information now. Cell phones allow us to reach out and get what we need immediately; whether it is making contact with someone, using a search engine, or reading the latest news update. You can’t be without your phone because you might miss something. It’s become an addiction.

So, is there really a downside? As long as you use your cell phone safely, what’s the problem? Here are some consequences of constant cell phone use.

• Loss of human contact. Do you text someone instead of talking directly to them? Do you stay home and Facebook your 500 friends, and stop going outside? You need interaction, not isolation. Get outside and feel the sun on your face. Remember how good it feels to be alive.

• Loss of relationships. Are you proud of having 300 contacts on your phone? When was the last time you actually met up with one of them and had a conversation? In our instant society, we substitute 140-character Twitter messages for conversations. Put the phone down and have a one-on-one discussion with someone. Talk about your feelings and your interests (except for how you’re dying for the new model of cell phone).

• Loss of income. You have to admit, it’s possible for a large hunk of your paycheck to go toward the cost of your cell phone plan. If you find yourself skimping on necessities to pay your cell phone bill, try scaling back your minutes and wean yourself from constantly texting.

• Loss of self. Have you ever lost or broken your cell phone? You probably feel completely useless. You can’t remember where the nearest pay phone is located, much less how to use one. You may think you need to make that call right now, but you don’t. Relax; you can find out when the movie starts when you arrive at the theatre.

The world existed a long time before cell phones were invented. It might be difficult, but try to depend less on the cell phone and more on you. There’s beauty that you miss when staring at a cell phone. Look up, and enjoy the view.

2011-08-22T12:50:00.000-05:00

I posted a great video 100 Ways To Show Children You Care on here awhile back: See It Here

Now with permission from the owner Juan Uribe, I give you:

100 Ways To Show Students You Care

25 Time Tips

2011-08-17T18:32:00.002-05:00

1. Conduct a complete time examination to find out where you’re wasting time. Walk through each day in 15 minute intervals, writing down what you are doing and for how long.

2. Set time management goals. Having clear goals will guide you through the process of getting control of your time. The best way to start is by writing out what you want more time to do.

3. Put into practice a time management plan. Just like a budget that guides money spending, a time management plan will guide how you can use your time.

4. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate. Learn to delegate. Look at your to do list and see what can be handed off to other people, a spouse, a coworker or a friend.

5. Set time limits for tasks. Time can get away from you really quickly if you do not have a set amount of time for a task.

6. Never waste time waiting. If you find yourself waiting for things to get done, bring work along with you, or even a good book that you have been wanting to read. Getting an oil change? Bring something to work on.

7. Use a planner. There are many types of planners, some of the better ones out line each day of the week in 15 minute intervals, as well as included a full page monthly calendar. Find one you like and use it.

8. Take charge of what you need to do. You have the power to decided what you do and when. Schedule you priorities.

9. Learn to say no. Practice saying no in a polite but firm ways. You are no one’s door mat. Decide what you are going to do, then do not get distracted by other tasks that people may want you to do for them.

10. Take a moment each day to take a larger picture look. Put things into perspective.

11. Respond to email when you read it. Most people have to read an email at least twice, once when it arrives then again whenever they get around to replying to it. To cut out one reading, just reply to the email as soon as you get it.

12. Studies have shown that multitasking actually inhibits productivity. The best thing to do is take on one task at a time, stay focused, and finish it before you began another task.

13. Keep web site addresses organized. The fewer clicks or buttons you have to push to get to a frequented site the more time saved.

15. Break large projects into smaller ones. By taking a larger project and making it into smaller ones you are more often reinforced for success and the tasks seem much less daunting. Turn the mountain into a mole hill.

16. Keep a to do list. It is simple and takes little time. A great opportunity to make a to do list is when your head hits the pillow at night. Keep a notepad with you and think through the next day or week and write down what needs to get done.

17. Forget perfectionism. There are some tasks that require perfection, but most task just require that they get done. Know your job and know which ones can just be completed.

18. Plan for emergencies. Plan ahead, plan extra time, and save yourself a lot of stress and heartache later on.

19. Complete unpleasant tasks first. Get through the muck and mud first. Take on the task you are dreading first and get it out of the way. You will be glad you did.

20. Keep a flexible schedule, firm but flexible. Things happen so schedule in some flex time, for example schedule only 45 minutes of an hour, leaving 15 minutes of flex time.

21. Visualize your long term success. Do not get caught up in the small things. All the things you need to get done are in service to your long term success and goals.

22. Get an accountability partner. Share with a co-worker the tasks that you need to get done and when they need to get done. Ask them to check in for progress periodically.

23. Rest and eat well. Your health is important.

24. Keep distractions to a minimum. Avoid the water cooler, keep the radio off, and exit the internet explorer. The more there is to distract you the more time it will take to get things done.

25. Reward yourself. Take time to reinforce success.

When someting needs doing, say to yourself, Do It Now and then Do It.

25 Ways To Find Inspiration

2011-07-20T13:06:00.002-05:00

We all go through periods when we need a little inspiration. Below is 25 Ways to help you find it.

1. Read an inspirational story or self improvement book.

2. Find a video that will inspire you.

3. Recall great moments from the past that make you smile.

4. Learn a new sport to play.

5. Listen to music.

6. Read about successful people.

7. Get some inspirational wallpapers for your computer.

8. Go for a swim.

9. Sit back, relax, and just think.

10. Go for a walk.

11. Call up your old friends and relatives.

12. Sing out loud singing as loud as you can.

13. Spend some time with nature.

14. Help someone with a task.

15. Play with your pet or go out and get a new pet.

16. Connect with a old friend on Facebook.

17. Go listen to the ocean.

18. Draw something or paint a picture.

19. Visit a place you've never visited.

20. Read some inspirational quotes.

21. Go dancing.

22. Get a camera, go out and take some pictures.

23. Begin writing a journal, a book, letter, or anything, just write.

24. Exercise or Meditate with a friend.

25. Cook something different.

How to Become A Leader

2011-06-30T19:52:00.000-05:00

Most people are content just standing around waiting for their orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen, to take the lead, and be the leader. Then maybe a leadership role suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.

It's important to remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.

Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through anything for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you cannot be a good leader unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution. It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone. You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to become a leader? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and become a leader today.

What Do You See?

2011-06-16T14:08:00.000-05:00

Is this a Duck or a Rabbit?

Well.....

actually it's both. Looking at the left side you see a duck, look on the right side and you can see it's a rabbit.

I have always enjoyed the optical illusions. I can remember struggling, many years ago, to find the rabbit in the one above. Funny thing is, after seeing it, it becomes as plain as day.

Over the years I have also discovered that life itself can sometimes produce some good illusions. At times, things can be seen differently when we stop and look with a different eye. Many times we only see one side of the picture while others may see a completely different picture.

Often times we only see what we want to see. Look for a duck in the picture and we can plainly see a duck, but when we look for only a rabbit, we only see a rabbit.

It's important for us to look at things not only with both eyes, but also from both sides.

Just a little something to think about.

Your Financial Future

2011-06-11T14:25:00.000-05:00

Blaming your paycheck is never a good formula for financial success. Finding ways to increase your income is a good start, but it only works if you don’t increase your spending.

There is only one guaranteed plan for financial success and that is to spend less than you earn.

Over time most people give away a fortune in five and ten dollar amounts on unnecessary purchases. Saving a small portion day after day for years can really add up. The saying, "look after the pennies, and the dollars will look after themselves," is worth remembering. If only we could see this at a younger age there would never be a last minute rush to the finish line.

Reaching total financial independence in a very short amount of time is possible, but it’s never an easy task. Very few are willing to go against the odds or change their present lifestyle to become rich. Gambling with your life is not an easy bet to make.

Most are better off accepting the fact that being rich is really just reaching a point where you can look back and be satisfied with the past and comfortable with the future.

At an older age, being able to just look back and say I have enjoyed my life, is worth a few million. Then if you can continue to live that same life without working, not only have you lived a rich life, you can die a rich man.

I would never let anyone including a success guru lead me to believe that becoming a financial success is some new secret idea, nor are there a lot of unnecessary steps to be taken. It always has been and will always be a simple matter of adjusting your spending to you living. By keeping it simple, even the poorest can end up rich.

If you are Not satisfied with your work now, I say yes, you need to change jobs because when you grow old no amount of money will buy back that lost time. In the end a sack full of money will only be valued as to how you earned it.

If you are satisfied with your work now, I say yes, you should continue what you are doing, keeping this in mind. Rich people have money simply because they haven’t spent it.

To really get on the fast track at any age, take a regular part of your present income and combine it with a little extra time devoted to producing extra earnings to add to the pot. Working one or two extra hours per week now for the sole purpose of the future could mean thousands of dollars to you later.

Saving money is a habit, and it’s one of the best habits you can have. It’s easier said than done so it does require a great deal of practice. In the beginning the habit is more important than the amount, but as the habit grows so will the rewards.

The Pickle Patch

2011-06-01T20:49:00.004-05:00

A good pickle day for me today. Not only did I find some small pickles on my cucumber plant starting to grow, but my article, Lessons From The Pickle Patch was featured on EzineArticles.com today.

Here it is below reprinted from the EzineArticles.com site:

In life, are you planting pickles or cucumbers? Valuable lessons can sometimes be learned from your childhood. I can remember growing up on a southern farm back in the 50's and having many meaningful conversations with my father. This is one about The Pickle Patch.

In those days my dad would plant a large field of cucumbers and then hire local workers to pick the cucumbers. The workers collected the cucumbers from the vines and using dad's truck we would haul them to the nearby plant to be sold. Dad would keep half the money and the workers would get the other half. The work was always done on a 50/50 commission basis so the harder you worked the more money you could make.

At a young age, my brother and sister, and I decided we wanted to earn some extra money from a cucumber patch. I'll never forget that conversation I had with my dad.

Our strategy was to convince our dad to plant us three kids a separate, much smaller cucumber patch. That way we would be in business for ourselves and get to keep all the money. Our plan was to harvest the crops less often, allowing the cucumbers to grow larger, which would make us more money doing less work.

I was appointed the spokesperson to approach Dad with our concept. To my surprise, he loved the idea. Dad thought it was wonderful that we wanted to do something on our own. He thought our own patch was a great idea, except for the part about us sitting and waiting until the cucumbers grew bigger before taking them to market.

"First, let's stop calling it a cucumber patch, let's see it as a pickle patch. You see son, small pickles may not weigh nearly as much as the large cucumbers do, but they sell for a lot more money. To increase profit, we need to pick the pickles regularly, not allowing them to grow big. This yields more crops that we can sell at a higher price. I'll be glad to plant the crop for ya'll, just remember this: lazy people plant cucumbers, smart people plant pickles. Which one do you want me to plant for you?"

Even though it ended up being much harder work than we had hoped for, that summer turned out to be a very profitable one for us three kids. We each ended up with enough money to get those bicycles we had always wanted.

Life Lessons from The Pickle Patch:

I look back at that summer and realize there were valuable lessons that came from out first taste of entrepreneurship. One of the most important lessons was to think outside the box to come up with better ideas.This can lead to better time management and more lucrative results.

As children, we just assumed bigger was better, not realizing it was quality, not quantity that the consumers wanted. Small pickles were much more valuable than large cucumbers. You must know what your customer wants.

I also realized that often working smarter still requires hard work. We could have just sat back and let the cucumbers grow. But, instead, working smarter meant we had to stay actively involved to produce the optimal product.

Lastly, approaching my dad and asking his advice proved to be invaluable. When looking for guidance, seek out those with experience and wisdom before jumping into a situation. While some risks are necessary in life, it pays to be prudent and smart when making big decisions.

Next time you are stepping into a project or major life decision, remember the pickle patch, and ask yourself this question: Are you planting pickles or cucumbers?

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Lessons-From-The-Pickle-Patch&id=6309556

Be Like A Bee

2011-05-30T13:37:00.002-05:00

I was sitting on the deck out back the other day when I spotted a bumble bee. The thought hit me that maybe bees might be a good topic for my blog. I ran inside to get the camera but when I returned the bee was gone.

I haven't started writing the article about bees in the garden yet. But seeing this huge bumble bee did remind me about the saying, bumble bees can't fly, they just do it anyway.

Really, in theory bumblebees should not be able to fly. According to the great minds of science, the bumblebee cannot fly. Why? For one, its wings just aren't big enough. The body is too big. Aerodynamics says it is impossible. The biggest computers in the world all come to the same conclusion, it can't fly.

Another fact about the bumble bee is, and maybe the smart people didn't think about this one, the bumble bee doesn't have any ears.

Nope, the bumble bee doesn't have ears, so maybe this explains why it ignores the smart minds, the computers, and the skeptics, and it just goes ahead and flies anyway.

This is a good reminder that maybe there are times in our lives when we need to be more like the bee, and just do things anyway. How many times have we listened to others and never even tried doing something, simply because they told us we couldn't?

So the next time you face a challenge, remember the bumble bee. Maybe you should just Be Like a Bee and do it anyway.

Another Frog Story

2011-05-21T22:14:00.000-05:00

The story about the frog in the milk reminds me of another frog story.

A large group of frogs were traveling through the woods one day and two of them fell into a deep hole. When the other frogs saw how deep the hole was, they told the two frogs that there was nothing they could do. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the deep hole with all their might.

The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other traped frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, all the other frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

Again the lesson is, never give up. Keep moving.

Tom Boleware

A Frog in a Milk Pail

2011-05-20T12:51:00.001-05:00

The story I posted yesterday about the mule falling into the well reminded me of the frog in milk story. It too is worth remembering.

The careless frog was hopping around a farmyard when all of a sudden he fell into a pail half-filled with fresh milk

As he swam about attempting to reach the top of the pail, he found that the sides of the pail were too high and too steep. He stretched his back legs to push off the bottom of the pail but found it too deep.

But this wasn't your average frog, this frog was determined not to give up, and he continued the struggle.

He kicked and squirmed and kicked and squirmed, until at last, all his churning about in the milk had turned the milk into a big hunk of butter. The butter was now solid enough for him to climb up on and hop out of the pail.

The lesson is, Never Give Up. Keep trying, keep moving and you will get there.

The Mule in the Well

2011-05-19T13:33:00.001-05:00

The following is a very old story, and I'm sure some have heard it before, but I still want to post it here, because sometimes we need a good reminder. The story reminds us that during difficult times we need to step up to the plate and just shake things off.

The story is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. One day the mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' (that's mule talk for crying for help) and after carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. So the farmer called his neighbors together and told them what had happened and asked them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

To begin with, the old mule was hysterical. But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up. This he did, blow after blow. He repeated to himself, "shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up." No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought the panic and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up.

It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped victoriously over the wall of the well. What seemed like it would bury him had actually blessed him, all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. If we face our problems, respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit us.

So when you going through rough times, remember the ole mule. Step up, shake it off and keep moving.

You can't get nuthin done sitting on a stump

2011-05-16T19:12:00.003-05:00

Back on the farm my dad had a saying, “The fields won’t get plowed until you hitch up the mules.” It’s been more than fifty years since I heard my dad say that, but I’m willing to bet that the farmers today still have a similar saying.

As much as times have changed and the new farmers having all the modern equipment like the big John Deere tractors with an air conditioned cab over it, I’m sure the farmers are now saying, “The fields won’t get plowed until you crank up the tractor.”

The farmers understand that it takes work to grow a crop. The seeds can’t grow until they are planted. All the planning and all the wishing in the world won’t get the seeds in the ground. It takes work. It takes action.

And so it is with life; do all the planning you want, wish all you want, read all the books in the world, dream and think about your goal as long as you want, BUT until you crank up your life and take some action, nothing is going to change.

The real secret to success, ANY success is action. The action part cannot be replaced. There must be action. You simply CANNOT do anything--without DOING something. Success is impossible without the action part.

Success with anything is as simple as just DOING what needs to be done. There is no other way. There are no secrets that will allow you to bypass the taking action part.

Look what some others have said about action:

"Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they be executed."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor."

--Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made by singing: "Oh, how beautiful" and sitting in the shade."

--Rudyard Kipling

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."

--Johann von Goethe

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."

--Epictetus

So you see, success really is impossible without the action part. You simply can't do anything--without 'doing' something. Or as my dad and the other farmers would say, "You can't get nuthin done sitting on a stump."

25 Ways To Improve Your Health--Starting Today

2011-05-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

1. Quit smoking. By quitting smoking you will feel better, have more energy, and live longer.

2. Cut fat. Start by buying lower fat milk or trimmer meats. Those are two easy ways to start cutting back on fat, and you will never know the difference.

3. Reduce stress. This is a tough one and a big one for most people. Reducing your stress means either cutting stressful situations out of your life or dealing with stress differently. Incidentally, exercise can help do both.

4. Buy whole foods. Whole foods contain all the nutrients and vitamins that are often lost during processing. They also often contain much more fiber, which is key to weight loss.

5. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. This can be walking, riding a bike, running, playing tennis or any other number of things. Get creative, you are probably already doing something active that you could increase the time on (and yes, house cleaning does count).

6. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. You can never (or rarely) go wrong with a good mixed green salad or fruit bowl. They are packed with nutrients and fiber. They are the true super foods.

7. Protect yourself from pollution. If you work in a toxic environment, where proper ventilation gear. If you live in an area with lots of ozone warnings, stay out of the sun during the afternoon. An ounce of prevention as they say.

8. Avoid excessive drinking. A wine a day can keep the doctor away, but a keg will move you next door to the undertaker. Binge drinking is a killer on your liver, and on your life.

9. Buy a new pillow. Many people do not realize that their lack of sleep can often be corrected by a $20 pillow. If you have to fold your pillow to keep your head up at night, toss it.

10. Ease up on the caffeine. Too much caffeine will run your nerves raw. It also has adverse long term affects on your brain. Moderation is the key. If you have to have two pots of coffee a day, make sure the second one is decaf.

11. Hug. The concept of the power of touch has been around for centuries. The act of hugging provides a sense of connect and closeness that all humans need. It is also a great stress reliever.

12. Let it all out. Have an emotional vomit session with someone. Keeping emotions in leads to emotional eating, which leads to depressed mood, which leads to more emotional eating…get the picture?

13. Eat high protein foods. High protein foods will make you fuller for longer, and will stop those hunger pangs. You’ll be less urged to eat junk food and more inclined to eat healthier foods.

14. Exercise your brain. Read, do crosswords, or work riddles. Keeping your brain active is one of the best things you can do to ward of Alzheimer’s.

15. Park farther away or take the stairs. The few extra steps each trip can quickly add up to miles, which add up to pounds. A simple way to get more exercise every day.

16. Enjoy a glass of wine. Red wine has been proven to lower risk of heart attack and coronary disease. Studies found this to be true with a glass of wine, not a bottle. Once again, moderation.

17. Eat a least three balanced meals a day. Studies show that eating at least three balanced meals a day can curb that afternoon hunger and keep your metabolism high.

18. Take time for yourself. If you meditate, do yoga, journal or pray. Spend time each day in one of these activities. They have been proven to lower stress and center your body and mind

19. See the doctor at least once a year for a good ole check up. Especially as you age this becoming increasingly important.

20. Make baby step changes. Make small changes that you can and will do. Healthy lifestyle changes are about what you will and won’t do, not about what you can and cannot do.

21. Wear sunscreen. Skin cancer can easily be avoided with just a few ounces of sunscreen (prevention). Save yourself some heart, and skin, ache.

22. Laugh. People who laugh for approximately 15 minutes a day tend to live longer, healthier, and happy lives. It can also help you lose up to 4 pounds a year, isn’t’ that a laugh?

23. Think heart rate, not sweat. The myth goes that if you break a sweat then you are burning fat. That is not necessarily true. The true guide is your heart rate, get it up and get it up for several minutes in a row. Now that’s a work out.

24. Drink plenty of H2O. At least eight, eight glasses a day should do it. This is not only for overall health, but it also aids in digestion and will often cure that pesky afternoon stress headache as well.

25. Stay positive. A positive outlook on life is one of the major characteristics of healthy people. Focus on the good in life, what is going right, and let the negative thoughts pass you by.

So what is motivation?

2011-05-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

Motivation and desire are two of the most important forces in a person’s life. Of these two, however, motivation is definitely the most crucial. A person can have many desires and goals in life, but without motivation to work toward them, nothing can be accomplished.

So what is motivation? Where does it come from? Motivation is a factor in almost every aspect of our lives. It can involve things as simple as basic survival: the motivation to eat and have a roof over our head is what makes many people get out of bed in the morning and go to work. It can make a difference in whether or not we spend our day earning a living or sitting around the house eating chocolates and watching television. Motivation is the determining factor in almost every choice we make throughout our everyday lives. It’s the force within us that guides us in choosing to move forward or stay where we are.

It can also be the force that gets us through the roughest of times, such as when a person struggles with depression or grief. Motivation is a major factor in finding ways of getting past the pain and difficult emotions. Motivation is where we find the strength to make those adjustments in the hardest of times. Without motivation to heal and get past the emotions that are bringing us down, we choose to remain in that state and live our lives in a stagnant, negative mind-set that accomplishes nothing but wasting time.

Motivation can also involve loftier goals. We all have dreams of things we want to accomplish in life, from getting a degree, to making lots of money, to inventing something unique – each person has a unique set of dreams and a vision of what they want to accomplish. Many of these goals take lots of hard work and time to reach, and it’s only through a motivation to accomplish these things that we can succeed in finding satisfaction of our goals.

We can also do or say things that help motivate others. Parents give their children motivation to do chores around the house. Teachers and professors provide motivation to students by giving good or bad grades. Managers provide motivation to employees through bonuses or raises. Sometimes, we motivate others without being aware we are doing so, simply by working hard or doing our best at something.

There is even an entire industry devoted to motivation. There are tons of people out there who claim to have the keys to finding the motivation to succeed, most of whom will charge an exorbitant amount of money to tell you what they have to say, using themselves as an example of success. More often than not, however, what they have to say involves common sense tactics that most of us can find within ourselves through self-examination, and we can learn ways of tapping into those motivational tactics by watching others, talking to others, reading about others – all without paying a dime. We can look at other people’s lives and examine their successes and failures to find ways of finding our own success. In the end, though, it’s up to each of us to find our own motivation within ourselves to be the best person we can possibly be.

Tom Boleware

Why Set Goals?

2011-05-11T09:38:00.003-05:00

Do you ever wonder why some people can’t achieve their dreams? Maybe it’s because the dream never became a goal. It just remained a dream.

Setting "real" goals (not just dreaming about it) is a very significant part of success and positive accomplishments.

People who set goals literally create a map of their target achievements in life, marking where they should begin, where to pause, where to turn a bit, and where and when to stop. Once this map is created, it allows the person to check where he is in the scheme of things and whether or not he is making some achievements that will take him closer to his goals.

By setting a goal, you will know how you are doing and what you should be doing to achieve the set target. Along the way you will know if you can relax or if you have to double your efforts when you see that you are falling a little short of what is expected.

Setting goals can be used in any aspect of one’s life, from one’s personal or family life, to the career and finance part. Goal setting can be as simple as setting a target weight when you wish to lose x number of pounds or something big, like earning your first million.

Setting goals will enable you to track the progress in whatever endeavor you have set out to do. It will also help you become more confident in yourself and more motivated to achieve your plan.

A goal is not a dream---it’s a plan.

Plan your work---work your plan.

Set a goal, take some action.

Just a little something to think about.